Twisted Lore
by aradian nights
Summary: Naminé has been trapped in a tower her whole life, desperate for some adventure. When a pirate comes to her window with unclear intentions, she realizes that too much adventure can kill. Multiple Fairytale AU.
1. Prologue

**Full Summary**

**Once upon a time, when the fair folk held great power over the world, there lived a boy cursed by time and fate to roam the seas for eternity in search of something utterly precious. In this perpetual voyage he unwittingly spawns the friendships of countless children, pulling them into his crew of misfits, and spitting them back out patch-worked and hardened. From the girl with yards of sunlight stained hair, to the fae branded brothers, the mermaid and her fast running hourglass, the princess marked with blood, and not to forget the wise and powerful young woman who wore slippers of glass. Despite being the string of fate that dragged them together, the boy could never participate in such a vile act like friendship. He had to succeed in his task of reducing _faeries_ to nothing but a tale.**

**_Hi, guys, this story is very much just Kingdom Hearts characters being fitted into the roles of classic fairytale characters. But I like to put my own spin on things, so they won't be very much like their source materials unless I really want to stick with it. Also, I apologize for the summaries being so different. They're both accurate, but they tell two different point of views. I'll be writing multiple characters. _**

**_Oh! And note that the entire point of this chapter is for you, as the reader, to have fun and try to GUESS what Kingdom Hearts character I'm writing about! The main ones are all here. Just look._**

* * *

><p><strong>{prologue}<strong>

The boy's cerulean eyes flickered fast over the names of the books stacked in piles in the corner of the old rickety library. He lifted a hand, gently running his finger over each and every thick, aged leather spine. He chewed on his bottom lip, the creases of the words carved into the leather spines like Braille to a blind man to the boy who was not really paying attention to the covers at all. He looked captivated by the feel of the old books, his eyes twinkling with something unknown.

"Boy, are you done with those yet?" came a low voice from behind him. The boy blinked himself out of his daze and jumped to his feet.

"Ah," he coughed, snatching up the pile of books. "My apologies, sir. Got distracted, ya see…"

"Never mind that!" The old librarian waved the boy off, taking them into his arms and cradling them slowly. "Lord knows you have the memory of a beetle, lad." The man shook his head, setting down the large pile as he went. His hands ran across the spine of each book, much like the boy's had, and he pursed his lips. The boy watched, his blue eyes wide with great interest.

"Sir, I already checked 'em all," the boy said, nodding at the pile. "All together, not a rip nor tear. All there, too."

The old man's eyebrows raised. "Did you now?" he asked, his voice rumbling in his throat as he chuckled. "Well, then, dear boy, why in the gods' names are you still here?"

The boy blinked slowly, his eyes widening up at the man. He opened his mouth, his eyes shifting from side to side. "Uh…" he said, his voice slipping from its slur for a moment. "I… don't really wanna go home, sir, ya know? My folks aren't exactly fond of me."

The old man smiled, and sighed, almost dreamily. "Ah, yes," he said in a soft, airy voice, as if he was reminiscing. "My own mother and father were not quite ecstatic about my own profession choice. Books were garbage in their eyes."

The boy frowned, as he wandered over to a stack of newly checked in books, and he hefted it up. "My ma doesn't have a clue about my current profession, sir," said the boy with a long sigh. "I'd prefer it to be kept a secret, if ya know what I mean?"

"Oh, of course, boy!" The old man smiled from behind his desk. "I wouldn't dream of doing anything to get rid of you. You are quite possibly the best apprentice I've had in many, many years."

The boy stared at the old man, feeling his heart warm with a sense of accomplishment and pride, his eyes brightening as he smiled gently. "Thank you… so, so much, sir," he said, his voice soft. He turned slowly and walked slowly to the back room, the books weighing heavily in his arms as he moved toward the storage area, where all the new check ins went. He took a deep breath as he set down the books on one of the many desks in the back room. He blinked as he scanned the room, books stacked like skyscrapers leaning against each other for support. The boy sighed, his eyes drooping as he adjusted his hat. He was grateful for the work he was given in the library, of course, but he was thinking about all the work he had to do when he went home…

He yelped as he felt himself being hefted onto someone's shoulders and carried easily from the small, windowless room. He cried out, slamming his hands on top of his head to keep his hat from falling, and muttering profanities as he kicked and struggled, trying desperately to get himself free.

"Oi!" the boy shouted as he turned his head, his eyes darting around for something to grab to smack his captor with. He only saw books, however, and the boy could not bring himself to damage any of the old, dusty tomes he'd come to love. "Let me go!" The boy looked up, peering from under the top of his hat. "Sir!" he gasped, catching sight of the old man chuckling to himself.

"Oh, put the poor boy down," the old man said, shaking his head.

The boy's captor turned toward the old man, and the boy yelped again, clutching his hat for dear life. "Aw," the man holding the boy whined. "Really? It's so much funnier to watch him squirm, though!"

The old man shook his head, a small, silly smile on his face as he gathered the books together and headed for one of the many tall, wooden book shelves lining the walls. "Let the lad go," he said, his eyes glancing sharply at the man holding the boy. The man sighed in exasperation and dropped the boy to the floor with a loud, painful sounding _thunk_, that rocked the entire library. The boy swore loudly, clutching his head as he glared up at the man.

"You asshole," he hissed, pushing himself to his elbows. "You can't go a day without tormenting me, can you?"

"Hmm…" the man said, tapping his lips, which were the only thing visible under is steel helmet. "No, I cannot." The man grinned down at the boy, offering his hand out to him. The boy glanced at it before rolling his eyes and bringing himself slowly to his feet, rubbing his head as he went. He then brushed past the man, waving back at the old librarian.

"Sorry, Eraqus!" he called back. "I have to go now, but I'll be back tomorrow!"

"It is not a problem," the old man said, glancing up as the man in the helmet walked after the boy. "Tomorrow, I expect, then, boy."

"Tomorrow!" The boy grinned back. He was promptly pulled away by his older friend and dragged out the door.

* * *

><p>"What do you think?" asked the young boy, his eyes roving around bustling street below him as he peered through the branches of a large tree. His heart sped with anticipation, wondering if he'd give anyone a good fright this time. No one ever expected him, which was the best, because who could expect someone so strange and unnatural as him? He was the one they told stories about, the legend that they whispered to their children, like an old fable for them to gnaw at. But he was not a fable, nor were his incredible talents. He was perfectly real in every sense, and he intended for that to stay that way.<p>

"I dunno," the other boy said, yawning and rustling his spiky brown hair. "I'm not even supposed to be here. If I'm caught, I could get a public execution. Probably by guillotine." The boy shuddered and slumped against the mighty trunk of the tree as his friend peered down at the townsfolk moving about below.

The other boy's eyes snapped up toward the brunet, a grin splitting his face. "But that's it, isn't it?" he gasped, jumping to his feet. The brunet reached up and grabbed the branch above him as the one he was sitting on began to tremble "The pure thrill of it is what keeps ya motivated, right? Don't tell me you'd have come if it were _your_ town." The boy shook his head, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he reached up and grasped the branch above them. "The adventure, the danger! _That's_ why you're here, and that's why I'm here."

"Well," said the brunet, sitting up straighter. "Yeah. I love adventure, you know that. But I'm more responsible than you. I can't afford to get myself slaughtered. And I'm not as brave as you are."

"That's silly!" The boy blinked down at the brunet. "You're one of the bravest men I know."

"I suppose you have not met many brave men, then," the brunet said with a short laugh. The other boy stared at him, his eyebrows furrowing.

"No," he said softly. "I guess not."

* * *

><p>A girl stood at the end of a long table, her fingers pressed against the smooth wood, and her eyes wide with awe as she watch the woman before her eat a small bite of some sort of exotic bird. She swallowed, feeling the curious eyes of the woman's handmaids on her face, and she grew pink as she gripped the edge of the table tighter. She had no idea what to say, and the woman was not cooperating with her! What was the girl to do, anyway? <em>Talk<em>? She understood that was the worst idea imaginable, and she could not even begin to imagine the punishment she'd receive in return.

So she stood, her feet aching a little, and her fingers drumming softly against the wood as she watched in silence. There was nothing she could do.

When the woman did speak, the girl jumped back, her eyes darting around the room as the sound hit her ears. "Has your brother returned?" the woman asked, padding the corners of her mouth with a charcoal colored napkin.

The girl breathed out quietly, and she shook her head. "No, ma'am," she said, her rosy lips drawing back into a kind smile. "I'm positive he'll be back in an hour or so, however. Um, was that why you called for me, or can I just—"

"You may leave when I excuse you," the woman said sharply, her eyes flashing upward to meet the girl's, who stared for a moment, her mouth dropping.

"Yes," the girl agreed quietly, her head bowing a bit in shame. "I am so sorry."

"As you should be," the woman hissed, her head high, and her mouth tight. The girl felt her stomach clench, fear building up inside her fast.

"May I," the girl said in a low voice, leaning over the table a bit. "May I ask as to why I am here, then, stepmother?"

The woman smiled, and the girl felt her blood freeze in her veins. Oh, this was not good at all.

* * *

><p>"Wouldn't you fancy it if someone decided to relieve you of your duty?" asked another young boy as he leaned against the starboard rail, his head titled back. The sky was rich with the colors of morning, the yellow and purple meshing together in a soft sort of tango of color, swirling against each other until the line between them was obscured. It was a vivid morning, and the scent of the ocean set their noses ablaze, and the salt wakened their sleeping minds as they tried to keep themselves standing upright.<p>

"That is a stupid question if I've ever heard a stupid question," said his tall, slender friend as he sauntered forward, and yes, he sauntered, one foot in front of the other, his hips managing to swing from side to side as if he were a fancy lady trying to impress a fella. "Man, if I was relieved of duty, I'd probably either find the nearest brothel, or hang myself."

"That's rather drastic," chuckled the younger boy as he turned, leaned his elbows on the wooden rail. His friend shrugged and stretched, moving his neck from side to side.

"Well, kid, what would _you _do?" the man asked, shooting the boy a toothy grin.

"Ah," the boy wrinkled his nose and stared at the calm sea below them, watching it sparkle a bright yellow in the rays of the early sun. "I honestly don't know. I've lived my whole life on this ship. What's it like outside, anyway?"

"Better than it is on this piece of shit," the man grumbled, "that's for sure."

"But I feel like there's something out there, ya know?" asked the boy as he looked up, his tired blue eyes meeting the horizon. "A place for me. I don't really think belong here anymore."

The boy's friend watched him carefully, his green eyes widening slightly as he continued to stare, and digest his words.

"You never really did to begin with," said the man thoughtfully.

* * *

><p>A girl moved slowly, her arms outstretched, her hair floating in rich, deep crimson strands around her had as she lowered herself into the depths of a cavern, like a shallow gorge. She blinked, her eyes adjusting easily to the heavy darkness that fell upon her. She was used to this dimness, however, and she could see easily after staying still for a moment. Her lips pressed together firmly as she looked around, her fingers lacing around slimy green weeds, her heart speeding as she spotted a glinted light gleaming at the bottom of the cavern, the light's radiance calling to her heart.<p>

She grinned and dove down, her long, blood colored hair sweeping behind her. She was excited, her mind racing with thoughts of skies and wings, her heart beating in time with claps of thunder, and her eyes searching for something more, something to grasp that wasn't made out of coral, or shells. Something else. Anything else. The world above her was so vast, but it was so cruel, because she could not dream to dwell on the land. Else she'd shrivel and die, leaving not a trace of existence but a shell to sing her ocean's song.

The girl scooped up the item from the sandy cavern floor, dusting off the muck plastered to it. She squealed with joy as the sand brushed off easily, and the item was clear to shine like a little star in her hands. It was something. Something circular, like a shell, but it had none of the gentle ridges that kept the other shells perfect. This object was dented, and a bright, metallic silver. It was smooth in her palm, the size of a moderate, but still small shell.

The girl gritted her teeth as she tried to pry the small silver thing open, spotting a crevice in the design. She had no luck, however, and she was getting rather agitated. What wonders laid behind the shiny surface? Certainly there was so much more than the simple exterior, something grand that would make her heart flutter and beat, the waves around her flashing in order to match her erratic heart.

"What'cha doing down here?"

The girl spun around, her dark read hair spinning around her head, slowing to a gentle stop and hovering above her head as she gaped at the boy who had appeared in the cavern. He looked older, not very well built, and sort of lanky with no real unique physical characteristics. He looked awful dull to the girl.

"Well that's none of your business," the girl said stiffly, straightening as she moved past him quickly.

"What!" cried the boy, spinning around and catching her arm. "Liar! I know you were doing something. No girl would go down here without a real good reason."

"Ha!" the girl laughed, throwing her head back. "Whatever. You're just mad because I didn't invite you."

The boy pouted. "It's so unfair how you leave me out of things…"

The girl tugged her arm from his grasp. "Well if you weren't such a blabbermouth, maybe I'd tell you stuff!"

The boy blinked as she moved quickly away, and he yelped loudly. "I am not!" he cried bolting after her. He was next to her in a second. "It's just your father. He's so scary!"

"No he's not." The girl rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He's all ham. He wouldn't actually hurt you."

"Yes he would!" the boy flailed and pouted. "Look at me face. Look. Right here." The boy stuck his finger against his temple. There was a long, faint scar that ran down to his cheek bone. "This is from when I covered for you three years ago, remember? You were off gallivanting with the faerie lover, and I had to explain why you weren't at the banquet! You know how much your father hates that boy, but still you and all the other girls _insist_ on fawning over him!"

"Shush," the girl said, rolling her eyes. "I don't fawn over him. He's my friend. I, unlike all the other girls, don't really have any attraction to him."

"Which is probably why you're the only one he talks to," grumbled the boy. "Which is irritating, because then he soaks up all your time, and you're _constantly_ up there talking to him!"

"Seriously," the girl said through gritted teeth. "Shush. I'm not up there now, right?"

"Well, no," the boy said slowly. "But that's probably because he's off somewhere. Bet if he was there you'd be with him."

"Possibly." The girl shrugged and looked around. "What time is it, anyway?"

The boy blinked and looked up. "Uh…" he said, shrugged. "I dunno. Moonrise, possibly?"

"What?" the girl shrieked. "Oh no! Damn it, I'm going to be late!"

"For your birthday party?" asked the boy with a snort. "Yeah, that's why I'm here."

"Asshole!" The girl slapped him over the head and bolted away, shouting as she went, "You should have told me earlier!"

* * *

><p>The finger of the boy traced along the lines of the coast, his eyes flitting behind his mask. There was so much ground to cover, and yet he could not touch the border of that land. His empty chest ached to search the place, to salvage what he could before he burnt it to the ground, destroying all traces of fae magic. But alas, it was far too well protected, and the realm itself would tear the ship to pieces before he could set foot on the island. Magic didn't like him much, it seemed, and faeries liked him even less. They would not attack him, however, unless he did something to them. Unfortunately he couldn't get a grasp on one.<p>

That was until he figured it out.

It was a huge secret, one that the gods kept under lock and key, because it wasn't supposed to be like this. He knew it well. He almost felt bad about it.

No he didn't, actually, because this was the only way, and he didn't give any shits about who he hurt.

"It's here," he said loudly, his finger stretching across the ocean from the island he'd been tracing, all the way to a massive strip of land marked in dull reds, blues, and yellows, to suggest borders and kingdoms. "The beginning of the end is right here."

"Isn't that something?" snickered one of his men. "I mean, we've been searching for the broad for over a decade, and she was under our noses the entire time!"

The boy smirked and tapped the dot that marked the city they were heading towards. "I know," he said, chuckling a bit. "It was a clever place to hide her, I must admit. But now she's ours."

"Are you going to kill her?" another one of his men asked, his expression blank.

"No," said the boy, stepping away from his maps. "I have other uses for her. I'm not interested in revenge at the current time, though I will get it, and it will be sweet."

"Do you think she'll be able to dull the faerie magic?" asked yet another crewmate with wide blue eyes. "Is that why you don't want to kill her?"

"It is a possibility I have not overlooked," the boy said with a shrug. "However, I am not sure if she knows yet, so we must take baby steps. I don't want her to throw herself overboard."

"Yeah," said one of the boy's men, rolling his bright green eyes. "That would suck some major shit."

"I'd also prefer it if none of you got too…" The boy tilted his head back. "_Familiar_ with her, if you can comprehend?"

"No touchy the babe," said the green eyed man with another roll of his eyes and a snort. "We got it, captain. We'll keep our grubby hands to ourselves."

"Good," chuckled the captain. "Spread word to the rest of the crew. We need her to at least tolerate us."

* * *

><p>A girl with sharp, knowing eyes dipped her finger into a shell of paint, and pressed it gently against the cool stone wall, catching the grooves easily. She watched as the paint scraped against the stone, making a flush of color appear against the gray. She did not smile at her accomplishment, but she allowed herself to be a little prideful as she made discernible shapes out of the paint at the tip of her finger. When she thought about it, the whole spectrum of colors in her mind's eye disappeared, and suddenly she couldn't tell what she was painting anymore. But when she let her mind go blank, everything flowed easily, and it was like magic to step back and see what she had painted.<p>

She took a deep, steady breath as she pulled out of her dream-like state, her index finger centimeters from the wall. She stared at it as the bright golden paint dribbled down her skin and dripped, a droplet of it plopping to the stone floor. She gazed at it for a moment, blinking profusely, as if she had just woken up. She leaned back and wiped her finger against the seashell cup beside her, her eyes straying to her creation. She'd managed to finish it this time.

She stood up and yawned, stretching her arms high above her head. Her long white dress fell gently to her feet, and she smiled to herself a little as she jumped over her other paints, her calloused bare feet scraping against the cool stone as she moved toward the pale washing basin on the other side of the room. It was large, and there was a drawn curtain next to it that extended whenever she took a bath. It was twilight outside, she noticed as she peered out her solitary window, the night sky a faint pink and gray.

She dipped her hands, caked with a rainbow of colors, into the basin, lukewarm water lapping against them. Swirls of misty color came floating to the surface of the water, and the girl rubbed her hands together, trying hard to release the paint from her skin. She sighed and pulled her hands out of the water, wiping them on a towel that hung from a little ring above the basin. She looked around in boredom, her eyes drooping as she yawned again.

She walked toward her bed, twiddling her fingers as she went. She breathed in deeply as she began to pace slowly around her room, her eyes darting around her walls, which were a mix of drab and extraordinarily colorful.

"Oh," she whispered softly to herself. "This is so useless. Maybe if I just…" She glanced toward her window and swallowed hard. "Jumped?"

But she knew she'd end up killing herself if she did that. And thus she was trapped. She shook her head and stopped pacing, her eyes fluttering closed as she took deep breaths. "Well," she murmured to herself, glancing up at her ceiling. "I suppose it'd be safe to say that I need to ask for some things to entertain me next time?"

The ceiling did not answer her, and she cocked her head to the side. She glanced at her wall and scurried toward it, peering close at a painted boy, whose eyes were like amethysts. "What do you think? Should I jump?"

The painting did not answer her.

"Maybe I should. I mean, obviously no one honestly cares for me, right? Or else they would've come for me years ago."

The painted boy's mouth stayed closed.

"Why am I here if I have no reason to live? I can't be expected to just rot away here for my whole entire life."

If the painting had heard her, it was ignoring her.

"But I don't want to do it," sighed the girl, her eyes flickering to her window. "I don't want to die, at least not yet, not without… not without experiencing anything."

The painting was simply a painting. It could not speak, of course. And the girl knew this well.

"Maybe… I mean… no one would notice, right? Except her, of course, whenever she shows up again, but gosh, it'd be so easy…" She closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts to drift into the abyss. It'd be so, so easy. And it would save her from her awful, incredibly meaningless life. Was it a wonder how dearly she wanted out?

She gasped softly as she heard a high, faux sweet voice call to her, "Oh, Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

She cringed. What was _she _doing here? Hadn't she gone and run off to do whatever it was she did? The girl panicked. Had she done something wrong? Did she know what she had been thinking about doing…?

The girl rushed to the window, completely forgetting to reprimand the caller for naming her wrongly again. She gathered up her hair into a bundle in her arms, and she blinked a little as the soft blond strands tickled her nose. She took a deep breath and flung the lot of it out the window, nervously chewing on her nails as she felt the familiar tug of someone grasping her long, beautiful hair, and using it as a rope. She hissed a little at the tug on her scalp.

She waited, her eyes flashing around the room, and her heart thumping fast. What would she do this time? Was the girl in trouble, had she done something wrong? Oh, no, what was going to happen?

The girl took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering closed as she heard the woman get to her window, the creak of the wood signaling it. She heard a soft thump of feet hitting the floor, and the girl sighed, feeling her hair return by her feet. The girl's eyes opened slowly.

"What is it, Larx—" She gasped, and tripped backwards, falling flat on her back.

It was not Larxene.

"Good evening," said the masked boy with a dry chuckle. Her reflection stared back at her in the shininess of the black mask, and she shuddered, noting how horrorstricken she looked. "Dear sweet… Rapunzel, was it?"

* * *

><p><em>People will get names over the next two chapters, and you will find out everyone's fairytale identity as well. I'd like anyone reading this crap to keep in mind, though, almost every character has two identities, most of which won't be revealed until later, so don't even worry about it.<em>

_This will be my major project after White Knight is finished, which is soon. I want to update these two fics at the same time every time until I'm done with White Knight so I can seriously commit, but..._

_Well, like I said in my first chapter of White Knight, I have commitment issues. We'll see how this goes._

_Also, pairing wise, VenNami is obvious. Everybody else is fair game, so basically any pairing can happen at this point. I have an idea of who I'm shipping, but that's not set in stone._

_That is all! I'd appreciate a review if you've gotten this far into this shit? =] _


	2. Sweet Aqua Calder

"There's a legend about humans. Legend says that originally people were born with four arms, and four legs, and a head with two faces. The gods feared their power, and thus split them in half, so they were two separate entities. And so their lives began, an endless search to find their other halves, that could only end in tragedy."

"But that's just a story, isn't it? There's no such thing as… what do you want to call it, sir? Soulmates?"

The man smirked, his head tilting upward. "That's just what the gods want you to think."

* * *

><p><strong>{sweet aqua calder}<strong>

"Ah, smile!" The older boy cried, elbowing his small companion in the ribs. The boy grunted and adjusted his hat, glaring up at the man with narrowed blue eyes. "Today is a pretty day, isn't it? You should see the ocean, it looks really stunning."

"Aye," the boy hissed through his teeth. "A pretty day indeed, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that again, _Sir_ Terra."

The man chuckled and adjusted his helmet as they passed through the bustling market street. "Don't call me that, you know titles mean nothing to me."

"Aye," the boy repeated, closing his eyes. "I know, I know."

"Then _act_ like you know." Terra pushed through the crowd, despite the shouts and swears of those around him, and he broke into a sprint. The small boy cried out and scrambled after him, his hands flying to his hat as he called his friend's name.

"Terra, wait!" gasped the boy, his head whipping around, trying desperately to find the older boy in the crowd. "Dammit, stop!"

"Pick up the pace!" Terra cried over the chatter of the market. The boy growled under his breath and bolted under an arch, passing through the cobbled streets of the kingdom with a new kind of litheness. His eyes flickered around as he spotted Terra running down a stairwell made of stone, and the boy smirked. He ran forward and jumped up, his feet smacking against the stone banister, and he threw his hands up to keep his balance as his shoes slid against the polished stone. He was flying downwards, swiftly and steadily, and quick as a whip he pushed off from the railing, stepping in front of Terra as he reached the bottom of the steps. The man had a wide grin on his face.

"See," he said, giving the boy a nod of approval. "That's how you do it. Using your strengths to stop your enemies in their tracks? That's useful and clever."

"I was actually using my head," the boy sighed, rolling his eyes. "Not my strengths. Considering I have no strengths."

"Liar." The man rolled his shoulders and stepped onto the boardwalk, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Not many people can do what you just did. It takes a special kind of talent."

The boy rolled his eyes again and turned his head toward the sun, which glowed with an ever shining light, and he shook his head. "Think what you want, then."

"I will," the man said as they stepped onto the beach. There was no one really there, as it was a rather chilly day. Though there were some children playing with sand across the beach, that was it. Terra stretched and pulled his helmet off, tossing it into the sand. The young boy's eyebrows raised as the man unsheathed his sword, the smooth, sharp silver weapon glinting in the sunlight. Terra glanced at the boy, who stood with his arms folded across his chest, and a disapproving scowl on his lips. The brown haired man extended his blade, the sharp edge of it grazing the boy's neck. The boy gave his friend an look that suggested he was not amused, or fazed by this action.

"You're a real ass, you know that, Terra?" asked the boy with a sigh. "I really just wanted a nice walk on the beach for once. Is that really too much to ask?"

The man smirked and jerked his head, causing the boy to smile back. The boy threw himself to the side, jumping up and kicking Terra's sword from his hand. Sand blew into the air as the boy's feet moved swiftly across the ground, his hand flying out and snatching the hilt of the sword as it descended from its spiral. The boy grinned and cocked his head to the side, twirling the blade casually in his hand.

"You want a fight, then?" the boy brought himself into a poised fighting stance. "I'll give you one."

"Good," Terra snorted, pulling another sword from a sheath on his other hip, this one noticeably larger. The boy knew Terra had given him the lighter one because it would be easier for him to wield, but it still made him awful mad knowing he wasn't strong enough to hack and slash with that sledge hammer of a blade. Anyway, the boy rolled his shoulders and nodded slowly, backing up as Terra rose his sword, preparing to strike.

The boy leapt forward, his cheap, worn boots skidding across the sand, and their blades met with a sharp clang. The boy jumped back as Terra pushed forward, his strength a challenge to the boy who had arms like tooth picks. He wasn't much of a brute strength kind of guy like Terra was, which was why he was so difficult to fight sometimes. He really had a huge monster of fighting style, and it drove the boy crazy trying to dodge the massive attacks that sent him staggering.

But the boy was persistent, and lithe, easily ducking and blocking without a thought. His eyes were dancing along their small battlefield as he moved backwards and leapt onto a large boulder protruding from the sand. He kept one hand on his head, clutching his hat, while his other hand worked to slash at Terra with his blade.

"Worrying about your hat?" Terra grunted, bringing his sword down on the boy's, sending him stumbling backward. "This is a battle. Pay attention!"

"Sorry," the boy gasped, his voice going quite high. "I just… I don't know. Ow!" The boy's neck jerked as his cheek met the sharp edge of Terra's blade. "What the hell, Terra!"

"Always be prepared!" Terra snapped, drawing his sword back, a small bit of its side glistening crimson. "Stop playing with your hat, okay? In a real battle that kind of distraction will kill you in a heart beat."

"Well good thing I'm not fighting a real battle then," the boy growled, smacking his blade against Terra's his eyes blazing. Blood trickled down his cheek, his pale face flushed with anger. "Well, never fighting a real battle, really."

"Never say never," Terra snorted, pushing the boy back, causing him to crash against the boulder, his eyes going wide. Terra spun his blade, but the boy was quick, and he pushed himself atop the rock again while the tip of Terra's sword scratched against the surface of the boulder below him. The boy held his hat and jumped down, dancing out of the way as Terra slashed his sword upwards at him.

"I can't join the army, Terra," the boy hissed, his blade clashing against his friend's, and they stood there, their eyes locked for a long moment. Terra's cobalt gaze, and the boy's gentle, sapphire one, boring into one another with an intense ferocity to both. "You know that. It's simply not possible!"

"Impossible things happen everyday!" Terra growled, pushing the boy hard. He yelped, and stumbled backwards, and Terra took this opportunity to nick the back of his hand, causing his fingers to lose hold of the hilt of his blade. The boy swore and reached to pick his sword up, but the tip of Terra's own blade was pressed against his chest.

"Your stupid kingdom makes the rules, not me." The boy pursed his lips, raising his hands in defeat. "It's impossible. Only men can join the army."

And at this, Terra smirked, raising his blade upwards as it grazed the boy's cheek, and reached the top of his head. Terra cocked his head to the side. "And a man you are not," he chuckled, flicking his blade. The boy's hat was flung to the side, into the sand, and a long, sleek mane of azure hair cascaded down onto the boy's shoulders like a waterfall. The boy didn't look amused at all.

"No," snapped the girl, her light blue eyebrows furrowing. "I'm not. See the problem?"

"I see no difference, honestly."

"I guess you're just blind, then," she sighed, running her hands through her long blue hair, her eyes closing.

"Yeah," Terra said, rolling his eyes and leaning against the boulder. "It took me six months to realize you were a girl, and that was only because I pushed you into the river, and—"

"I know the story!" the girl gasped, shooting the man a look. "I don't want to remember that incident, okay?"

"Yeah, fine." Terra rested his sword on the ground and scratched his head. "You're moody today."

"It's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand."

"_Oh_."

"Shut up! Not that kind of girl thing!" The girl's face turned a brilliant red, and Terra simply laughed, laying back on the rock. "Oh, you're _hysterical_."

"Sorry, Aqua," he grinned, sitting up a little straighter. "What did you mean?"

"Never mind." Aqua shook her head and scooped up her hat, dusting it off. "It's stupid."

Terra looked at her, his tanned face glowing against the rays of sun streaming across the ocean, his shock illuminated. "Hey," he said quietly. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not stupid."

"It is," she said, twirling her hair up into a bun. "Forget it, Terra, I don't want to talk about it." She jammed her hat onto her head and turned around, shoving her hands into her pockets, her dirty face meeting the glow of the evening sun.

"Oh, don't act like this," Terra groaned, walking slowly up to her. She shot him a glare, edging away as he neared her personal bubble. He stood awkwardly beside her for a second, silence enveloping them as Aqua stared out into the sea, her cerulean eyes an echo of the swooping water.

"Act like what?" she asked softly.

"Act…" Terra breathed in sharply and scowled. "Act like I can't help you with your problems! Aqua, I'm not a total idiot, I can help you. I _want_ to help you! Ever since you told me what your home life is like, I've been trying to find a way for you to get out, but I _can't_ if you don't let me!"

"Stop being so dramatic," she hissed through her teeth, kicking some loose sand into the ocean. "I know, okay? I just… I don't want to get into this. My life as a boy, and my life as… as Aqua, they're so completely different, Terra." She glanced up at him, her eyelids drooping in sadness. She smiled a little and shook her head. "I just don't want anyone to find out and ruin it."

"I can help."

"No," she said sharply, spinning away from the ocean, and striding across the beach. "You can't!" She jumped up onto the board walk and stalked away, leaving Terra to collect his swords and helmet.

"Aqua!" he cried after her, his eyes widening. "Aqua, wait, please!" But she was already gone, disappearing into the streets, and Terra found himself standing alone, his feet sinking into the wet sand as the tide rolled in. He wished to reach out to her, but he didn't know how. She was his best friend… his only real friend, actually. He couldn't lose her, not to her family, not to a war. He just wanted her to be okay, and happy.

But she was neither of those things, and Terra knew that he would have to step in and change that.

* * *

><p>"I'm home."<p>

The girl looked up from her seat at her window, and her eyes widened, her face splitting into a grin. She dropped her book at her side, pushing her black bangs from her face, and she jumped off her window seat, her dull green dress flowing behind her as she rushed to greet her stepbrother.

"Terra," she gasped, bowing her head a little. "Welcome back! Did you enjoy your training?"

Terra nodded slowly, his brown hair tickling his face, and he licked his dry, cracked lips, glancing around the room. It was filled with knick knacks, like small tinker toys from a shop in the village, and sea shells he'd collected when visiting the beach lined the shelves. She had a few books, though not as many as she'd like. Terra would have to ask Eraqus to lend him one for her one of these days.

"Yeah," he said curtly, his eyes flashing to the open door. A guard was watching them with vigilant eyes. Terra scowled and shut the door behind him, sighing a little in relief when he felt himself break free of the gaze. "Yeah, it was pretty decent, Xion."

"Did you ask her?" Xion asked eagerly, pulling out a chair for him, her bright blue eyes wide with excitement. "Oh, please say yes!"

"No," Terra hissed, rolling his eyes as he took a seat. "I didn't, and I don't plan to. Aqua and I… our relationship isn't like that."

"Oh, please," Xion scoffed, waving her hand a little. She plopped herself down on her window seat and sighed rather dreamily. "I know all the classic signs of love, and the way you talk about Aqua… well, dear brother, you've gotten hit with cupid's arrow, haven't you?" She giggled as Terra's face transformed from half stoic, half exhausted, to fervently embarrassed.

"It's really not like that at all," Terra said with a growl, glaring down at his hands. "I mean… Aqua is… she's my best friend. Best friends aren't supposed to court each other, or anything. That's really weird."

"You're so dumb," groaned the black haired girl, burying her face in her hands. Her words were somewhat muffled now. "That's exactly the reason why she's so perfect for you! Imagine being with some other girl! Doesn't that make you feel weird?"

Terra stared at her, his face impassive. She was right, in fact, it made him feel rather odd, and almost frightened, but still. He believed quite truly that he was not in love with Aqua. Xion had just been reading too much romance. Maybe he should get her an adventure book to cut her off cold turkey?

"She's my best friend," Terra repeated. "And if I asked her to the ball, it'd be because _she_ wanted to go, not because I want to be with her romantically!" Terra froze as he shouted these words, his eyes widening. "Oh."

Xion's eyebrows raised, and she sat up straight. "Oh?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh," Terra replied, pushing his chair back. "Oh, shit, I know what she meant now."

Xion blinked confusedly, her bright blue eyes widening in confusion. "Wait," she gasped as her stepbrother ran for the door. "What are you talking about, Terra?"

"Nothing!" He shook his head, running his hands through his hair. "Sorry I couldn't stay longer, Xion! I'll bring you back a book _and_ a shell this time, okay?"

The girl's dark eyebrows raised, and she smirked at him, leaning back against her window. "Oh, trying to buy my love now, hmm, Terra?"

"Sorry!"

"No, no, keep at it." Xion pulled her feet up onto her window seat and yawned, waving him off. "I don't mind at all."

"I seriously hate it when you act like this."

She glanced at him and shook her head. "Just go get the girl, you hulk of an idiot," she muttered, grabbing her book from her side. Terra watched her for a long moment, debating telling her off or not, before he settled on walking away. She glanced up at him and sighed.

"Mother wanted to see you," she murmured to herself, and she opened her book.

The stupid oaf. The ball was tomorrow night, and he was really waiting this long to ask the girl? Of course, their mother would not approve of this date nonsense, but at least he was getting somewhere. She wondered if she'd be able to go to the ball, but then, she wasn't supposed to exist. So she settled in her window seat and pushed all thoughts of the prince's coming out ball (quite literally, as the queen, rather smartly, had kept his identity a secret for many years to keep assassins off him). She knew it was not her place to go there.

But still, she mused, staring at the page of her book she was on, her mind not digesting the words. It'd be so lovely just to go to see everyone.

* * *

><p>The soft sound of the sea thrummed around her, lulling her into a strange trance-like daze. Her fingers were wrapping tight around the wooden rail, the wind pushing back her long black dress that billowed around her feet. Her face was glowing in the light of the sunset, and she breathed, her eyes drooping as her mind winded backwards to a week previous when she'd arrived on this ship of disaster.<p>

She breathed in the sharp smell of salt, and she smiled a little, peering over the side of the rail, her eyes trailing against the water that lapped at the sides of the ship. It was really rather breathtaking, being at sea. Though sometimes the sight of water got a little boring, she managed to keep herself entertained. Years of practice.

"Lean too far and you'll go right over." The girl jumped and spun around, her eyes going wide as she pressed her back against the rail. "Be careful, won't you? You're quite valuable."

She felt her shoulders stiffen, and she glared at him, her arms folding across her chest. His face was masked by a shiny black helmet, and the rest of his body was all covered by various articles of clothing where skin might be seen. A scarf was tied around his neck like a kerchief, and he wore black leather gloves, and boots up to his knees. His shirt was black and he wore a tight vest over it. It was not abnormal, though the girl always thought captains of ships, even ships like the one she was on, had a much more flashy wardrobe. He looked rather like every other man on the ship, disgruntled and sort of drab. But all the girl had to go on was the stories Larxene had told her.

"You keep saying that," the girl said slowly, moving to push her hair behind her ears, before she remembered where all of it was. "That I'm important. Why am I valuable, exactly?"

"Can you say 'curiosity killed the cat', good lady?"

Her pale eyebrows furrowed as he moved closer to her. "Excuse me," she said softly, moving swiftly away from him and walking across the deck. But he was right on her tail, stepping quickly in front of her as she tried to flee. She stared at him with wide eyes, stumbling backwards.

"I would like to go to my cabin now, sir," she said sharply, her hands turning to fists at her sides. "If you don't mind moving."

"Oh, must I?" sighed the boy as she tried to brush past. He reached out and grabbed her arm, halting her, and she spun to face him, her eyes wide and fearful.

"Let me go!" she gasped, her voice breaking in terror. "Please, I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Oh shut up!" the captain snapped, his grip becoming crushing, and the girl let out a soft cry, flinching back. "I'm not going to punish you! Calm down, you little witch!"

"Then let me go!" she cried, her face now totally contorted in pain. "My… my hand, you're… ow!" She screeched as the boy twisted her hand hard, and there was a sickening crack. "Stop it! Please… I can't…" Tears were welling in her eyes as some crew men gathered around them, cracking amused grins and laughing at the sight.

"Oops, did I break something?" the boy sneered. "My bad, maybe you should stop your squealing."

The girl bit down on her tongue and stared up at him with glistening blue eyes. The boy sighed and released her. She stumbled back, and he then caught her roughly by the opposite arm. She said nothing.

"I have a request," the captain said, and the girl breathed heavily, closing her eyes.

"For me?" she hissed through her teeth.

"No, for your arm. I'd like to chop it off and feed it to the croc." He chuckled at this, and he began to laugh hysterically with the rest of his crew as she cringed. "I'm joking."

"I didn't know monsters had a sense of humor," she whispered bitterly.

"It comes with the territory," he whispered back, his voice breathy in her ear. She didn't know how any sound got past that helmet.

"Oh, because pirates are so, so funny," she spat, glaring down at the ground. "Yes, I am quivering in hysterics."

"Wow, I appreciate the snark, dear witch," the boy barked loudly. "You know, I thought you were gonna be a total bore, but this last week has brought you out of your little shell, don't you think?"

"Please get to the point," she murmured, staring at her limp hand with a sort of sadness in her gaze.

"Oh," he said absently, his voice a little lost for a moment. "Yes. My request."

She stared at him, fidgeting in the silence. The crew snickered and disbanded, going back to their posts as the girl swallowed hard and uncomfortably tugged on her arm, which was in the captain's grasp. He was silent for a very long time, making her mind spin on overdrive. She turned to face him completely and she felt lost as to why he was waiting so long to say what it was he wanted to say. It was unnerving, but also rather odd and confusing. She was not scared, but rather irritated and growing impatient.

"What is it?" she hissed.

"What?"

"You're _request_." The girl shook her head, tearing her arm from his grip. "Just spit it out, Vanitas."

Vanitas cocked his head to the side. For a moment the girl wasn't sure what exactly was wrong with him, but he gave an air of confusion, much like she did. They stared at each other, or she assumed he stared at her, as his mask shielded his face from her view, and there was an increasing amount of awkwardness between them that festered into a bloom of utter discomfort.

"Right," he said, as if he had not taken five minutes to reply. "You will be accompanying me to the ball tomorrow."

"Ball?" the girl repeated blankly. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Vanitas waved his hand, as if to silence her, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She wasn't sure what he was doing, but he was making less and less sense as things went along. She shook her head and scowled up at him. "I refuse," she said sharply, stalking across the deck and disappearing into the door that lead to the girl's chamber.

Vanitas watched, and yawned, bored with her insubordination. He'd straighten her out later. Until then, he had a ship to sail, and a plan to hatch. He turned idly to a red haired man who had just stepped up from the lower deck. He titled his head.

"Axel," he said, waving him over. The man blinked slowly, before obliging and moving beside the captain. "You were just at the cells, yes?"

"Yep." Axel shrugged. "No biggie, he's all locked up good."

Vanitas looked at the horizon, which was now nothing but a milky white, sprayed with a bit of deep red. The sun was gone, and night was approaching fast. Vanitas looked back to the man. "Tell Xigbar to sail west," Vanitas said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Got a message from the pretty boy. The _young lord_ isn't far from here, with his ship, and like hell I'm passing up a chance to rough up that piece of shit."

"Right," Axel said, rolling his eyes a little. "Got it. Are you gonna kill the kid?"

"Depends on how much of a fight he puts up."

"Kay, then." Axel walked toward the other side of the deck, but Vanitas grabbed his arm before he could get there.

"Oh," Vanitas said, moving his head toward the passage to the lower decks. "And make sure they don't feed the wolf tonight. He really packs a punch when he's hungry."

* * *

><p><em>Hello, few readers of mine who have stuck with this past the first chapter! Does any of this clear up what happened in the prologue?<em>

_GOD I HOPE SO. I mean, come on, NONE of you guessed the boy in the beginning was Aqua! I don't blame you, of course, it wasn't obvious at all, but I mentioned, I think, to look really hard, and outside the box. Or maybe I just told Shanna that, I don't actually know._

_Sweet Aqua Calder= Sweet Polly Oliver is a trope about girls who dress up as boys to pursue a goal of theirs, like joining the army (Mulan), or to disguised themselves (Arya Stark). Calder is a male name meaning 'from the wild water'. I realized Aqua would have to have a male name for her alter ego, so I looked up names meaning water, and I found this one. Calder could be her last name, or it could've been her father's name, or she just could've made it up. You guys can decide that._

_You know, Namine wasn't actually named in this chapter? Shit. Well, that was Nami, obviously. And now you know like, two guys on the ship with Vanitas. And you know some stuff about Xion as well!_

_Come on, this had to clear SOME crap up!_

_Gotta apologize for the mind fuck from last chapter. My bad. It won't be like that anymore. XD_

_Also, that snippet in the beginning? I heard that from tumblr at one point. It was floating around while I was writing this chapter (months ago! just after Christmas!), and I put it in because I felt like it fit._


	3. Invitation to the Unknown

**{invitation to the unknown}**

"What are we doing?" the girl whispered, her eyes widening as she carefully followed the boy around a few dreadfully sharp looking rocks. Her long, damp crimson hair framed her face. She reached up and grasped the edge of the cliff-like rock he was standing on, hauling herself up to get a better look at him. It was dark, and her vision was rather obscured by the air around her. He was peering at her with his eyes alight.

"I'm giving you your birthday present!" the boy cried, bending on his knees so he was eyelevel with her. She tilted her head, her dark red eyebrows furrowing. Her tail fin bobbed and splashed against the water, the strain too much to take. She felt herself fall back down, engulfed in a shimmering darkness. Water rushed into her mouth, and she breathed, her hair billowing around her head like blood swirling in the water. She leaned her head back, her tail splashing against the surface, and she pushed herself up again, her face breaking the barrier of ocean and air, and she felt the sharp sting of oxygen burn her face. Her friend's face was still relatively close to hers, as he was leaning over the side of his rock to stare at her.

"Ven, I can't go into the city!" the girl gasped, sinking herself into the water, her blue eyes drooping in sadness. "Remember what happened last time? Someone almost saw me!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ven waved this off, as if it was nothing more than senseless nonsense. This aggravated the girl to no end, because it was _serious_. She couldn't be seen by humans! "Look, we're not going to the city, and I've got this amazing plan, Kai, and trust me, you're gonna love it! Plus, it's daring. Be the brave little fish I know you are!"

"Brave, brave, brave!" Kairi cried in exasperation, flinging her arms into the air. Her hair went flying upwards, and Ven blinked slowly his eyes traveling from her face downwards. They lingered there for a small moment before he blinked back up at her face, his expression unchanged.

"Kairi, your hair," he remarked with furrowed eyebrows. Kairi felt herself turn her head downward to examine her hair, but she saw nothing wrong with it. She shook her head and looked back up at her friend.

"What about it?" she asked slowly, twirling a piece of her dark red locks between her fingers.

"I ain't really sure exactly why it's indecent, but I'm pretty sure it's kind of just not acceptable in regular human atmospheres to show your cleavage off." Ven shrugged, and Kairi turned her head down again to stare at her bare breasts, which were partially hidden by the water. She looked up at Ven, looking extremely confused.

"But… it doesn't bother me," she said slowly. "Why should it bother anyone else?"

Ven shrugged, laying himself on his stomach so he could rest his chin on his hands. He peered down at Kairi, moving his head from side to side, as if he was rattling an answer inside his brain. "Well," he said, glancing up at the sky, kicking his feet up. "Most humans aren't like me. They've got rules, and stuff. I ain't really sure, cause you know, you and Light are basically the only girls I've ever talked to for more than five minutes, but people just like to cover up their skin."

"_You_ don't," Kairi huffed, sinking deeper into the water, blowing bubbles with her nose.

"I do!" Ven cried, straightening up. "Look at me, I look like a _gentleman_, see!" Kairi thought his new clothes were kind of overly odd, in all honesty. But she wasn't exactly an expert on clothing, so maybe humans did wear tight white fabric mixed with a looser black long thing. She didn't really know how to describe them.

"Well normally you don't wear very much humany clothes," she grumbled, splashing the water around her for a moment and glaring down into the abyss.

"Well, it's for a special occasion!" Ven jumped to his feet and gave Kairi a pout. "It ain't exactly for tonight, but I wanna wear it for your birthday, you see?"

"Not really," she sighed, ducking under the water, her face flushing as her hair curled up around her head in the gently nipping water. She curved around the rocked, her tail flapping against the surface, and she smiled as she turned herself, her head breaking the air, the freeness of the world above blinding her for a moment as she tried to regain her bearings.

"Don't worry, you're going to love this!" Ven's voice floated to her, despite him being rather far away now, his body floating on land, while hers was crushed by the sea. She wondered if he truly realized the extent of their differences. He never cared that she had a tail, but perhaps that was because he wasn't a normal human boy. It had taken him months to figure out human girls didn't actually have tails, and it still made him rather uncomfortable to talk about. Ventus was naïve to the ways of the world around him, even more so than Kairi, which was saying something, as she lived underwater, never greeted any human aside from the oblivious blond boy.

"Sure, Ven," she whispered, laying on her back and looking up at the stars, her long crimson hair floating gently around her head. "Just… please don't mess this up."

* * *

><p>"Aqua!"<p>

"God damn it," she growled, tying the pale blue kerchief around her head. As a lady, Aqua tried her best to be polite, because in her mind she really had no reason not to be, but it was just so _frustrating. _"I'm _coming_!"

It was late now, and Aqua had just gotten in after a short day with Terra. She was disappointed with how things had turned out, but there was always tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, until he left for a war. Of course, he insisted he wasn't going to war any time soon, but she didn't believe him. This country hated its neighbor with a burning passion, and it would be no surprise if a war sparked between them. She was just preparing herself for the worst, because when the time came that Terra could not be at her side, she could not mope about it. She had to be stronger than that.

"_Aqua_!"

"I'll be _right there_, Rosso!" Aqua cried, slamming the cupboard door shut with a force that shook the entire kitchen. Aqua blinked slowly, and looked around in shock. It seemed as if she didn't know her own strength sometimes.

Aqua shook her head to clear her thoughts and she hopped into her ragged old shoes, the rough inner fabric scratching at her calloused feet, and she sighed. She really was better off barefoot, it seemed. Perhaps…

She swallowed and grabbed the tray of tea from the counter top, thinking over her entire reason for staying in this wretched house. No, it had nothing to do with the footwear, she was just being stupid with her discomfort. She longed for the worn, fitted soles of her boy-boots, and these maid slippers made her fidgety! But she could deal with it.

Aqua always thought she owed her stepmother something. Ever since she was a young girl, she found herself dwelling on the fact that _she could be dead_, but she wasn't. And therefore she had to be grateful, and live in this hopeless life of hers until a war started for her to try to enlist in. It wasn't that she wanted to fight, of course! She was sickened by the idea of killing someone. But Aqua knew it well in her heart— if she had to, she would take a life. She was a soldier inside, and Terra taught her that. He made her tougher than any boy her age, and as selfless as a dire wolf protecting its kin. Well, she wasn't really sure about that, but it was what he said. He often told her that she was the bravest person he ever knew.

He would sometimes slip up when they were alone, calling her a man, but she never minded. This was all her choice, the cross-dressing plot, and she accepted that she made a better man than a lady. But this didn't sway her heart from her loyalty to the woman who treated her like a piece of excrement. Sure, Aqua knew she'd leap at the change to go off and fight, but for now… she just had to keep herself in this house. Her happiness was the cost of her morals.

Aqua carried herself as delicately as possible, her attempts at stifling her soldier posture keeping up as she moved slowly up the stairwell. She had to remind herself that she was a lady constantly, and that being a lady meant she had to be lady-like, and all that. Aqua didn't mind being a girl, of course, it was just that there were so many rules, and Aqua was just… too much of her own person to abide by them.

She nudged open the door to the sitting room with her hip, bowing her head a little in her stepmother's direction before setting the tray down on the table. She stepped back quickly, her eyes darting between her two stepsisters, and she swallowed. Rosso was watching her with a wild quality to her deep crimson gaze, like a panther watching its prey. Her red hair was slicked back, pinned with oval shaped clips to keep the ragged mess of curls from falling into her long face.

"It took you long enough," Rosso sneered, her words lilted by a foreign accent. When Aqua had asked, her stepmother had answered simply that Rosso had lived with her father for a few years while developing her speech mannerisms, and the accent stuck.

"I…" Aqua faltered, backing up against a wall. "My deepest apologies. I was running late from the market."

"Well," simpered Scarlet, the fair haired younger daughter of the merciful Lady, "you certainly _look_ like you just came back from hunting chickens!"

Aqua looked down at herself, her cheeks growing hot in humiliation as she dusted off her apron, and folded her scratched and grimy hands behind her back. "I wasn't hunting anything," Aqua muttered self-consciously.

"It looks like the chickens won." Rosso smirked and pointed. "Look, mother, she's all bloody and battered. Wee Aqua's been in a skirmish."

Aqua avoided her stepmother's gaze, and instead ventured herself to gaze out the window beside her, seeing not much else but an old tree that swayed gently in the wind, and a short walkway that was stained yellow from the setting sun. She raised her hand, and her fingers brushed against the cut Terra had given her earlier to teach her a lesson. She'd have to warn him next time not to strike at her face again. Though he tended to be oblivious to her warnings when they were sparring. Sometimes he acted like a completely different person.

"Oh, don't let it bother you, Rosso, the pet probably just got too chatty with a grosser, or something similar to that. Men don't take kindly to young ladies who like to use their tongues."

Aqua scowled and glanced over at her stepmother, whose sharp eyes were glued to the girl's face. Aqua said nothing, sliding her tongue between her teeth and chomping down to keep her comments to herself. Her stepmother was very young looking, a rather beautiful woman with long blonde hair, and spectacles that she often peered over in a condescending manner. Her name was Jihl, and she was a viper in the skin of a noblewoman.

"Tell me, Aqua, have you placed anymore thought on going to the ball?" her stepmother asked, her smile tight.

Aqua swallowed, her stomach knotting up at the mention of the stupid event. She didn't want to go, she told herself. Only vapid, brainless women went to balls. She didn't want to go. "Yes, stepmother," Aqua said softly. "I do not want to go."

"You wouldn't have gone anyway," Scarlet snorted, and Jihl shot her a look. Scarlet straightened up and looked down at her hands, saying nothing else. Jihl looked back at her stepdaughter and gave her another empty smile.

"Very good, my dear," she said, rising to her feet as her daughters sipped their tea quietly, shooting glances at one another. "A ball is not for you, anyway. You might as well go on and serve the entire event, considering that seems to be all your good for."

Aqua's eyes narrowed. _No,_ she thought boldly, straightening up and letting her hands fall at her sides. _Shut up. You have no idea what I'm capable of. _But she could not bring herself to speak. So she stood, staring at her stepmother, her heart never bringing her to the point of hatred— she was still just thankful she was alive. But she breathed in sharply, her face betraying all of her emotions. And then she began.

"You know," Aqua said icily, leaning her back against the windowsill. "You're completely right, stepmother, I guess I'm just _too frail_ to go to the ball, or perhaps too unlucky? Wouldn't it be better to simply not—" A loud crack sounded directly behind her. Aqua jumped away from the window and spun around, her mind reeling in shock as she stared at it. Something had smacked against the glass. Something hard. Aqua squinted, and she noticed the faint crack in the window.

"What…" she whispered, rushing to investigate as Scarlet screamed, and Jihl asked stupid questions. Aqua raised her hand, her index finger grazing over the dent in the glass, noting that it came from outside. She blinked slowly before her eyes flashed downward once they caught sight of waving arms. She swore under her breath.

"The wind!" Aqua choked out, spinning around to face her stepmother and stepsisters. "It's very, um, windy right now, and, ah…" Aqua spat out her words awkwardly, feeling the odd cockney accent of her male alter ego slip onto her tongue. "A bunch of rubbish just blew into the walkway, so I'll just…" Aqua swallowed her accent, backing away from her stepfamily slowly. "Clean it up…"

"What?" Scarlet cried, jumping to her feet. But Aqua paid no attention to her, and she ran out of the room, abandoning her shoes on the stairwell, and leaping out the door. She stood on the porch for a moment, turning only to shut the door behind her, and she tried to calm herself down as she dropped down from her stoop, running around the house with her bare feet padding softly against the ground.

He turned around the moment he heard her coming, and he smiled a little. Aqua did not return the favor, and she did not stop running as she neared him. She grabbed his arm and dragged him forward, into the road, and she ducked down behind a wall, breathing heavily as she glared at her tan skinned friend.

"Oh my gods," she panted, leaning against the wall. "There is something wrong with you, Terra!"

Terra stared at her, looking obviously taken aback. "What?" he asked blankly, leaning away from her. "I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

"No!" she cried, shooting him a sharp look. His eyes widened, and Aqua flinched. "I mean— crap, Terra, you know I didn't mean it like that! It's just… my stepmother, and stepsisters could've seen you, and… and that could ruin _everything_!"

"I'm sorry," he said slowly, dropping down on his knees beside her. "I didn't… I didn't think—"

"Duh," she spat, rising to her feet. "Of course you didn't. If you had thought, you would've remembered how I specifically told you _never_ to come to my house!"

"Aqua, calm down," Terra growled, glaring at the dirt.

"Terra," Aqua hissed, leaning forward so her face was level with his. "If they saw you, everything could be over. My training, hanging out with you, everything! They don't tend to be overly kind when I disobey."

Terra sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her down onto her knees. She did not struggle, but she gave him an irritated look as he glared at her. They sat like this for a minute or two, silently battling each other with gazes as sharp as swords. Aqua was breathing normally now, and after a while, they simply stopped glaring and sat in silence. Aqua turned her gaze toward the sky, which was darted now with stars, and Terra's eyes moved down toward the earth. He let his finger's slip from her wrist.

"Aqua?" he murmured without looking up.

"Hmm?" she hummed, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin against them.

"Come to the ball with me."

Aqua looked at him sharply, straightening up, and dropping her legs down. "What?" she asked, her eyes widening.

"Let me take you. Not as a courtship or anything, because I know you're not into that, and frankly, neither am I, but…" He sucked in a gulp of air, gritting his teeth as he felt himself flush red. "I mean, what the hell do we have to lose?"

"Our freedom for one," Aqua grumbled miserably. "Our manhood."

"Aqua," Terra said slowly.

She cracked a smile and looked up at him. "Admit it, that was funny."

"Awkward to think about, actually."

"Oh, shut up, I'm an awesome guy. I bet I'd be better looking than you if I really was one."

"You already are a better looking guy, smart ass." Terra rolled his eyes and leaned his back against the wall, his shoulder bumping against hers. "Eraqus says you've got ladies lining up. You could have a harem."

"Thank you," Aqua coughed, burying her face in her hands. "For that lovely mental image."

"I don't know, I kind of—"

"Finish that sentence, Terra, and you really will lose your manhood."

Terra glanced at her, and his eyebrows raised. "Point taken, Calder."

She looked up at him, and breathed in deeply. "Do you really want me to go to the ball with you?" she whispered, staring down at her hands, her lips twisting.

Terra blinked confusedly. "Uh," he said with a laugh. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want you to. You'd be the only thing worth going for."

Aqua stared at him, her mouth dropping open, and Terra felt suddenly very foolish. What a dumb thing to say! He was supposed to be encouraging her to come with him, and now he was pushing her off with stupid statements like that. He shook his head, and stood up. "Never mind," he muttered. "This was really stupid of me. If you don't want to go, you don't have to. Trust me, you might be better off. Parties are terrifying."

Aqua shook her head. "I…" she sighed, rising to her feet as well. She tested the ground for a moment, the dirt squishing against her toes. "Terra, I do want to go. But I can't. Not with Rosso, and Scarlet, and Jihl wandering around. They'd skin me alive if they saw me there."

Terra glanced at her, and his eyebrows raised a little. "You obviously didn't read the invitation," he remarked.

Aqua looked away fast, a scowl on her lips, before her eyes darted back to his face. "I wasn't allowed to read the whole thing," she muttered.

Terra nodded. "Yeah, figures." He smiled and slammed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to jolt in shock. "Well, Aqua, it's your lucky day."

"What?" she gasped, pushing his hand from her shoulder. "Why?"

"The ball is a masquerade, miss Calder."

* * *

><p><em>I finished this so early because I've been inspired by the series of faerie books that basically introduced me into the world of fey, so YEAH I WANTED TO WRITE SHIT ABOUT FAERIES. Not that there is anything next chapter with faeries. Except maybe the fruit thing.<em>

_So Aqua's Cinderella. I don't think a lot of you caught that? I don't know, Shanna was like, "SHE'S MULAN!" and I was like, "Um, kind of, but she never makes it to the army." I haven't told her that though, because I haven't finished replying to her review. Multiple fairy tale characters and shit._

_Not much going on this chapter. OH. SHANNA, I CHOSE SCARLET AND ROSSO, BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAVE RED THEMED NAMES, AND THEY'RE BOTH FROM FFVII. Also, I didn't need to put much effort with their characters. WHICH BY THE WAY, ARE TOTALLY MADE UP, BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW EITHER OF THEM. Filler characters suck, okay._

_Jhil was a last minute decision that you don't have to take seriously. I don't really know how to write her, either. I just needed a name and a face. It's easier for her because she's not quite as villainous, as say, Terra's mother, who comes in for real next chapter, and I was just like, "Lol, you don't have a face or a name, sucker." It stayed that way. I just referred to her as 'the woman', or 'terra's mother'. Oops._

_Gonna remind everyone that Calder is the name I chose for Aqua's boy self. I didn't want to give boy!Aqua a name, but I realized since she actually talked to people as a boy, and it took Terra a while to figure out she was a girl, she needed one._

_I just want to write about faeries and shit, oh my god, why is that so far away._

_Please review, if possible! =] Should go beta read. Tomorrow? Maybe? I don't know, I've been busy. I feel shitty when I push this off._

_ARYA/GENDRY SHIPPERS IN THE HOUSE? sorry what, dani, shut up, omg, no one cares about your game of thrones feels_

_BUT IT'S SO CUTE. IT'S LIKE THE STARK/BARATHEON UNION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN._

_I'm just going to shut up, seriously, ignore me, I'm shipping an eleven year old with a... I don't know, actually, he's probably around sixteen? Seventeen? Well, it could be worse, this is Game of Thrones. DONE NOW._

_-Dani_


	4. Wolf on the Water

**{wolf on the water}**

"That doesn't look comfortable at all," a voice remarked in a shrill accent.

The boy who had been laying on his back, gazing up at the sky with his arms stuck behind his head, blinked slowly as he registered the voice. He smiled a little. "Says the guy who sleeps in a tree," he laughed, sitting up and stretching his arms over his head. He glanced over at the boy before him, and then looked down on the three barrels he had made into a makeshift bed with a small tarp laid over them.

"Yeah, well," the other boy kicked one of the barrels with a booted foot, and grinned. "I betcha anything the tree is better."

"You know, you're probably right…" The brunet rubbed his back and wrinkled his nose a little, dropping down from the barrels and twisting his body a little until his back cracked. "I'm not allowed to lay down on the deck, though, so this is all I've got!"

The blond boy glanced at the barrels, and then back at his companion. He cracked a smile and shook his head. "You know, if you just remembered how to—"

"Oh no!" groaned the brunet. "Please, not this again. You know I can't!"

"No, no, I know you can, you just gotta really clear your mind, and _believe_—"

"Ven," the brunet said slowly, grabbing his friend's shoulders and shaking them. "Veeen. Listen to me speak here, okay? I can't— let me repeat that. _Can't_, cannot, not at all. Not anymore."

Ven stared up at his old friend, his eyebrows furrowing, and his lips tugging downward. "But…" Ven said slowly, glancing down at his feet. "Oh. Okay, I get it. You're too old."

"I'm only a year older than you, you know."

"That makes you too old," Ven sighed. "Never mind, if I didn't explain it to you years ago, I'm not telling you now."

"Uh… right." The brunet sighed and waved his arms. "So, um, as much as I love having you around, Ven, what are you doing here? I thought you hated ships."

Ven shrugged and looked around, the fact that he was, indeed, on a ship not bothering him at all. In fact, if the brunet boy hadn't known any better, he'd be rather scared to ask how his friend had gotten on the ship in the first place. But he knew well how Ven had appeared before him, and so he simply smiled, his mind wandering to his footman. Was he planning their route? The ship wasn't moving, and he had not come out to rebuke the boy for staying outside so late, so something had to give.

"I want you to meet someone, actually!" Ven said with a broad grin, grabbing the boy's arm and dragging him across the deck. He stopped near the rail, and he peered over the side of the boat, his smile slipping. "Oh, damn, you can't see her."

"See who?" The boy stuck his head over the rail, his eyes moving around fast to try to catch a glimpse of a person in the depths of the ocean. There was nothing but blackness, and the sound of water splashing against the wood. "You brought one of your infamous friends?"

"Yep!" Ven laughed and jerked his head over toward the ocean. "I've been trying to get you two to meet for… well, for forever, but she's kind of… restricted."

The boy stared at the water. He thought he could see the faint shape of a head bobbing somewhere down there. "Why didn't you bring her up here?" the boy asked, frowning and glancing at Ven. "Rude, Ven! She's probably freezing."

"Uh," Ven said, biting his lip. "Yeah, sorry. She's um… not decent, I guess you can say?"

"What?" The boy's gaze flickered down toward the water, then returned to Ven. "Gods, that's… um… I can give her a spare pair of clothes, it's not that big of a deal. Just get her out of the cold!"

"It's spring, Sora," Ven said softly. "And she's fine. She actually likes it better this way."

Sora's eyebrows raised, and he glanced down at the water again. He looked at Ven sharply. "She can see me?" he whispered, frightful of what the girl might think of him. Ven smiled and nodded, waving down at the water. There was a soft splash and the faint shape shifted a bit. Was she waving back?

Sora took this up with a new confidence, and he jumped up onto the rail and grinned, waving down at the water. "Hi!" he cried, gripping the side of the ship tightly, his stomach twisting as he slipped forward a little. He caught himself before he fell and pulled back, turning to look at Ven, his blue eyes widening in delight. "Does miss mystery have a name?"

Ven laughed, glancing down at the water, and nodding. "Yep," he said, grinning. "But I can't tell you."

"Aw!" Sora whined, leaning back. "So she's one of your _magical_ friends, then?"

"Kinda." Ven shifted uncomfortably. He breathed in the salty air and turned his back to the water, leaning against the rail. "She's special. But I thought you liked special?"

"I like new people," Sora said, staring into the ocean and frowning. "Is she mute, or something?"

"No," Ven sighed, looking back and frowning down at his nameless friend. "She's just shy, I guess. She doesn't interact with people much."

"Oh." Sora shook his head and leaned over the rail again. "Well, I'm Sora, if you're wondering!"

There was a soft swishing, and Ven spun around. "Hey, hey! Don't leave now!" Ven glanced at Sora, who was staring at the water wildly, his gaze flipping between the water and Ven. "Say something!"

There was silence for a bit, and Sora stepped down from the rail, frowning deeply. "Really shy," he muttered, pouting. Ven sighed and glanced down at the water.

"Kai…" he murmured, tapping his fingers against the wood. "Come on."

But as they leaned over the edge, they heard nothing, for the young girl would not speak. Ven leaned over farther to shout at his friend again, but as he did so, the sharp sound of a bell pierced the silence of the ocean air. Ven froze, his eyes flashing up to Sora's face, and the utter panic contorting his friend's features told him all he needed to know.

"Never mind!" Ven shrieked down at his friend, pushing off the rail and throwing himself into the throng of crewmates that had run on deck the moment the warning bell had sounded. Sora stood still, his shock freezing him in place. That bell signaled the arrival of something sinister… and yet, he couldn't imagine what could come for this ship. A storm, perhaps? Sora looked up, his eyes darting between his crewmates as they pulled at the rigging, shouting orders to one another.

"Ven!" Sora cried suddenly, fear clenching his chest as he pushed past a few shipmates, who threw themselves out of the way, staring at him with looks of confusion and panic.

"You shouldn't—!" Sora ran from the man before he could finish his sentence, he's knees buckling as the ship began to move again.

"Ventus!" Sora screamed, spinning around and around in place, dizziness striking him as the ship rocked back and forth violently, trying hopelessly to gain speed.

"Sora!"

The boy turned and yelped as he was grabbed by the shoulders, and pulled rather roughly against the mast, a man's hard blue eyes gazing with focused irritation down at the scrawny boy. Sora breathed in and bowed his head in embarrassment. He probably looked like a fool spinning like that. He jolted as the man shook him hard.

"Get down below!" the man barked, his stony face masking his terror rather well, though Sora knew him better than the man would admit. A mane of damp brown hair framed the man's young face, and a scar marred his otherwise handsome features. "Go, now! Before they get to us!"

"Who?" Sora gasped, his eyes roving the scene before him. It seemed like the entire crew was on deck, running in a frenzy of panic. "Someone's coming for us?"

"For you, perhaps," the man growled. "Considering you're the most valuable thing here."

"That's a matter of perspective, Leon…"

"Shut up," Leon spat, pushing the boy into the crowd. "You fool. We die when you die, that's how our servitude goes. Being humble is just your own selfishness."

Sora turned to stare up at the man, his mouth dropping open. The reason why Sora liked Leon so much was because he told him as things were, and did not sugarcoat his words just because Sora was high born. Ventus was similar, but Sora was never shocked by Ventus's boldness— he was a free spirit, the kingdom had no power over him. Leon was a knight, and if anyone higher than Sora got a taste of how he talked to the future king, Leon would loose his head faster than he could say _my job is done_.

"Who's coming?" Sora gasped again, spinning to face Leon. "I'm not going anywhere if all of you are in danger!"

"Someone get a lifeboat ready!" Leon called, and Sora's eyes widened. He pushed the man away, feeling his heart begin to beat faster and faster. It was that bad?

"I'm not leaving all of you!" Sora cried, backing into the crowd. "I won't let anything happen to any of you, you here me?"

"This is not your choice!" Leon snarled, stepping toward him. He froze, his head lifting, and a shadow loomed across the ship. Sora shuddered as the crew fell silent. He turned slowly, and he caught sight of the ship that had pulled up in an eerie silence beside them, the entire wooden mass shrouded in a strange dark red film, like blood coated the entire frame.

And then Sora caught sight of the flag wavering against the wind. He felt Leon grab him, and he was spun around again before he could catch much more of the image. But he knew now, these were people to be feared, and he understood Leon's panicked actions.

"Pirates?" Sora breathed, tearing his arm from Leon's grasp and ducking into the crowd. He needed to find Ven, before the boy did something stupid. The pirates appearing at the same time as Ventus could not be a coincidence.

Leon moved after him, but Sora was already at the Starboard side, and he stared as the ship pulled up nearly directly beside their own, and a soft rumbling hit his ears. Sora backed up a little, his eyes darting the deck of the enemy ship, and he caught a few human-like shapes, but not enough to attack with. The boy gripped the sword at his hip and shook his head. It would be alright.

And then the rumbling grew louder, and Sora, along with the rest of the crew, backed up slowly. There was a creeping human-sized form moving toward the rail of the pirate's ship. Sora held his breath. The distance wasn't close enough for any human to jump, but it was way too close for comfort. Sora looked around, hoping he might spot Ven in the crowd around him, but he wasn't there. Sora would rather throw himself off the side of the ship than admit that his friend had left, however. Simply because there was too much adventure in this for the boy to flee.

When Sora caught sight of it, he nearly screamed. The light from lanterns hit the slinking form as it jumped, its body leaping over the chasm separating the ships, and landed with a loud and precarious thump that shook the entire ship. A few men screamed in terror as the shadows sculpted the beast's face, a nuzzled mouth drawn back into a snarl, long, jagged teeth bared. The beast's eyes glinted in to lantern light, wild and unimaginably cold, as if a fire had frozen over inside them somehow.

"Gods…" Sora whispered, feeling his limbs turn to jelly as the thing inched forward, its lean muscles tensing as its head lifted, sniffing the air. Its pale yellowish gray fur bristled as its back arched, and Sora realized that the beast was huge. On its paws it was half his height, and its body was long and thin, as though it was emaciated. Its fur was shaggy, but not long enough to brush the floorboards of the deck. And as Sora stared at it, he realized what exactly this beast was.

"A dire wolf…?" he breathed, looking around at his crew. Surely they recognized the exotic beast? A wolf of old, one that lived in legend and folk lore, though it was still very real, if not a dying breed. But it was obvious now, with the thing's long, spindly legs, and air of ancient ferocity that this was what the beast was called.

The wolf growled, and its head whipped Sora's way. Sora tensed up, but he did nothing. He glanced at the ship, but it didn't seem like the pirates were going to send anyone else over. Maybe they trusted the wolf could do the job. Sora breathed heavily, and the wolf's muscles rippled beneath its fur as it rumbled, preparing itself to pounce. Sora cried out as he was dragged backwards, and the men he had been standing next to unsheathed their swords as Sora was pushed hard against the deck.

"Leon!" Sora screamed, horrorstricken as he listened to the sound of flesh tearing, and the gurgle of blood in a man's throat as he drowned in his own inner fluid.

Leon dragged the boy forward, ignoring the increase of snarling and screeching, the sound of bones crunching echoing in Sora's mind. "You need to leave," Leon hissed. "We were fools to take you out to sea!"

"I've been out to sea loads of times!" Sora choked, anger bubbling up inside him. Leon expected him to just leave and let the men who were protecting him die! He couldn't allow that. "Leon, no!"

"You are being a brat, you know that?" Leon spat, throwing him against the port side rail. Sora stared down into the sea, reminded that there had been a girl down there before, a girl Ven had wanted him to meet. But Sora knew she had probably swam away by now. Hopefully Ven would return her home safely.

"You're just gonna let that thing chew them all to death?" Sora whispered, his voice hoarse from all the screaming.

"As long as you're safe—"

"Not happening!" Sora ducked under the man's arm and bolted forward, unsheathing his sword and bounding toward the din. As he moved into the crowd, gripping the hilt tightly, he froze as he heard a sweet, melodic tune rise up from somewhere down below, though it hit him from all sides like hurricane wind.

A voice came swiftly upon the wind, startlingly sweet, and it thickened the air around him. It was as if mother nature had called upon rain, but did not want it to fall yet, and the humidity choked him. It was a sultry sound, silk and spice, turning over his head and making his heartbeat sputter. Sora breathed in the melody as if he could taste it, and he _though_t it tasted like honey and fire. But his mind told him, begrudgingly, that it was a sound, therefore it had no taste. His heart waved that away.

"_Badaboum, baboum, baboum boum. __Badaboum, baboum baboum_."

Sora found himself pushing through the crowd of crewmates to get to where the melodic tune, which floated from the starboard side. Where the wolf was.

"_C'est le vent du large qui chante_

_ Annonçant la pluie pour demain_

_ Il nous dit la mer est méchante_

_ Mais poursuis toujours ton chemin_."

Sora burst from the crowd, gasping, his head spinning as the voice floated around him, capturing his senses and entangling him in a daze. He was drunk on the sweet sounding melody. But once he moved past his crew, standing in the middle of a puddle of blood, guts strewn across the deck, and his eyes adjusting to reality, the spell was broken, and Sora could see clearly.

He stumbled back, his mouth dropping as he stared at the beast, which was cowering on the ground, whining as it scratched at its ears, covering its face with its paws. It rolled on its back, its grizzly nuzzle open wide as it howled, glistening teeth stained crimson, as was the fur surrounding its snout. Sora jumped forward, flinching as he felt his foot sink into a fresh corpse.

Sora could not kill it. No matter how monstrous the thing was, he couldn't kill it the way it was now, all helpless and in pain. He spotted Ven standing a little ways away staring at the wolf with an expression that was so unlike him, Sora had to do a double take. The boy's mouth was open in terror, his eyes filled with unshed tears, and he stood with one hand on the rigging, as if he were about to jump ship. The boy caught Sora's eye, and he shook his head wildly, mouthing something that Sora couldn't catch.

Suddenly, Leon came bolting past Sora, and Sora cried out in protest as the man pulled a gun on the wolf who had managed to slaughter a good quarter of the crew. Sora did not try to stop him, but something inside his heart screamed that this was wrong, that there was something off about the wolf, that it didn't really deserve this, despite its actions.

And then Ven came bolting in front of the gun, throwing his arms out wide. Leon faltered, the gun he was holding jerking back in shock.

"Don't shoot him!"

* * *

><p>"Mother?"<p>

The woman turned around, a faux sweet smile gracing her lips, and Terra scowled. She was a slender woman, beautiful and fierce, with a face that could charm any man anywhere. Terra was not one to be charmed, and thus his mother made him feel rather sick to his stomach.

"Oh, Terra." She rose, gracefully, and walked toward him, her smile wide. "I've been waiting for you all day, silly boy."

"Yeah." He'd heard. Apparently his poor sister had to put up with the woman for a good part of the evening. "I know."

"Well," the woman said, gesturing to one of her lush looking red couches. "Sit."

Terra obeyed, his legs moving before he could stop them. Force of habit, possibly. He sat across from the woman, feeling the scrutiny of her gaze, and he recalled being a small child and doing as he did now. Had he not grown at all? Still taking his mother's orders as if he still needed her to survive. He didn't know if he hated the woman— he was certain that once he had loved her dearly. But after growing to recognize her obvious neglect toward his sister, he learned to take all of her actions as untrustworthy. Everything was a plot to her, and Terra just wanted nothing to do with it.

"So do tell, Mother," Terra murmured, his dark blue eyes narrowed as the woman sat.

"Oh, yes." She smiled, a thin curl of contempt. "I needed to talk to you about tomorrow."

"Oh, gods," Terra groaned, rising to his feet. His mother flashed a look at him as he turned to leave. "Not this again!"

"Bite your tongue, boy," the woman spat. Terra blinked and shuddered at the tone of her voice, ice coating her words. "This is serious business! Now, I know you'll be there as a knight, but try to look presentable. And do find a woman of noble blood to dance with, honestly, we don't want a commoner running amok!"

"The ball is for the entire kingdom," Terra said quietly. "I can't pick and choose. It's a masquerade."

"Such a dreadful thing, too," the woman sighed. "But do your best."

"Whatever." Terra moved forward toward the door, his hand reaching for the knob, and his fingers grazing the gleaming gold. He spun around, gazing at his mother with pleading eyes. "Mother, I must ask you a favor."

"Oh?" she smirked, and sipped from a silver goblet, smacking her lips. "Speak, child."

"Right," Terra muttered. He breathed in, reminding himself that he hadn't anything to loose asking. "I must request that you allow Xion to go to the ball."

The woman looked at him sharply, her dark eyes growing wide, and her lips parted into a grimace. "Oh," she said with a sneer, resting her goblet of wine on the table in front of her. "You care enough for the ingénue to beg such a ephemeral request?"

"Ephe—ephima—?" Terra stuttered, his mouth dropping as he tried to digest his mother's odd words.

"Twit," she spat. "Must I explain everything to you? It means, very simply, _short lived_."

"Wow, okay." Terra scratched his head, his cheeks flaring with embarrassment. Aqua always scolded him because of his short vocabulary, and his mother loved to rub salt in a wound she didn't realize was even there. Terra didn't even want to ask how his request was short lived. "Yes, mother, I care about Xion enough to ask this. She's my sister."

"Not by blood," the woman sniffed, and Terra smiled.

"No," he said softly. "But I love her just the same. Please, mother, consider this for a moment. She won't be any trouble, I'll look after her, and it's a masquerade, so of course no one will realize who she is!"

"Shush," the woman rose to her feet and strode toward the fireplace. "I need to think, I need to think…"

"Think, then," Terra said, nodding slowly. "Ponder this overnight, and in the morning tell me your answer."

The woman stared down at a bowl of lush and exotic looking fruit that sat on the lintel of the fireplace. She reached over, her long, pale fingers plucking a glossy red apple from the bunch, and bringing it to her face, inspecting the flawless features of it. Her lips cocked upward into a sly smile. She turned to Terra and tossed the apple, which he caught easily, his eyes widening in surprise.

"What…?" Terra whispered, examining the fruit, his calloused fingers moving over its tender skin. He noted that it was warm beneath the tough red, like it was alive and breathing.

"Have you ever tasted the fruit of the fae, son of mine?" the woman asked, her voice chipper and unnerving.

Terra looked up at the woman, his jaw dropping for a moment. "Fae?" he asked confusedly. "As in, the Folk?"

"Yes, the Faery." She continued to smile. "They produce fruit like you could not imagine, pears with golden skin and purple innards, grape vines draped with crimson-violet that produce the most sultry wine, and apples of silver, red, and cobalt with inner meat as tender as a lamb's… now, imagine, the effect such fine victuals to a tongue of a mortal."

"Uh…" Terra shifted uncomfortably, and set the apple carefully down on the table. "Faerie food cause humans to get high, right?"

"High," the woman scoffed. "Such a mediocre term for its affect on the mind of humans. We are dazed into submission and longing, groveling at the feet of the nearest fae, desperate for more and more… faerie food is the most tempting thing on this earth. Do you see where I am leading, Terra?"

"Not really," Terra muttered, backing away from the apple warily. "There are legends that if you eat faerie fruit, you must stay in Faery forever."

"Not all that accurate. The fruit makes you want to stay, but you are not forced to. Humans are only bound by their own cursed wills, unlike the Folk, who are often bound by law, and oath. We are lucky in this way."

"Right." Terra sighed and shook his head, not understand his mother's ramblings. "Why should I care about the fae, though? Faeries don't bother with adults often."

"You underestimate them," his mother murmured. "Anyway, you may tell your stepsister that she has my permission to attend the ball."

"Seriously?" Terra gasped, jumping up straight, and his eyes brightening. "Thank you, mother!"

"Yes, yes…" She moved toward the table, scooping the apple in her palm, and her lips quirked as she stroked its skin. Terra watched it as well, his stomach twisting. It was just an apple… right?

* * *

><p>The girl stumbled onto the deck, her breathing erratic, and she rubbed sleep from her eyes, scratching her veil. It was awfully inconvenient to have the cornette on her head to keep all of her hair from spilling around her, tripping her and others. It was itchy, and too tight, and her hair barely fit inside it. The crew often poked fun at her, calling her 'Sister Naminé', 'Sister', or some just simply stuck with 'nun'.<p>

She listened to screams, and her eyes darted around the darkness. Her feet were bare, for her shoes had slipped under her bed, and she had only the time to grab her veil and shove all of her hair up into it before venturing up onto the deck. The air was cool, as if it was late fall instead of mid-spring, and Naminé clutched her headdress as she moved awkwardly forward, ducking past a pirate who was hooting with laughter as he stared portside. The girl spun around.

There was another ship, bigger and much more extravagant, like it was made simply to be a feast to the eye. It was painted the colors of a foreign kingdom, one that Naminé couldn't recall the name of, but she remembered seeing it in a book somewhere. Enemy to her home kingdom… right? She couldn't be sure anymore. She felt like driftwood now, trying to keep herself from being flung over a waterfall. These people she had ended up with were not ideal, but she would rather bob aimlessly in a crowd of pirates than be stuck up in that tower again. They did not touch her, and Vanitas was not half as bad as she gave him credit for.

"What…" Naminé pushed herself forward, squinting into the darkness, but as she got closer the lanterns, the other ship lit up the scene before her. It occurred to her that this had to happen eventually, pillaging was what pirates did, and she had been warned, but she was still frightened. And fascinated. She drew herself closer, and no one stopped her. Maybe no one cared.

She placed her hands on the rail, suddenly as close as she could possibly come to the ship, and she listened as a shrill tune struck the air around her. She shrieked, her mind growing numb, and she clapped her hands over her ears, a buzz trapping her in her own head. She blinked feeling her limbs go limp, and she dropped onto her knees, her arms slipping to her side. She listened to the tune, the wavering notes slipping from grotesque to surreal in a sudden slur.

The tune stopped, and Naminé stared at her hands for a long moment, watching them quiver. What had happened? She could hear the echo of incomprehensible words in her head, and her body was quaking uncontrollably.

"Get up," she whispered, pushing herself onto her knees. Her veil slipped a little, a small piece of golden hair tumbling down against her cheek. "Get up, get up!"

She found her legs obeying, and she huffed, grabbing the rail again. She stared up at the ship, and she gasped. In the half-light she could see a monster thrashing around the other deck, howling and whining. It was making a racket, and she could see a crowd around it. Faceless people. She shuddered, though she was surprised to find it was out of pleasure.

Something shiny caught her eye in the crowd, and she gasped, leaning over the rail to get a good look. It looked pretty, like an artist had sculpted it. But her stomach churned at the sight of it, as if it was something awful. She realized she'd seen it before on a few of the pirates on board. A weapon that spat metal! She exhaled in disgust, her fingernails digging into the wood beneath them. They were going to kill the poor beast, and no one was going to do anything about it!

And then, much to Naminé's surprise, someone proved her wrong. She stared in awe as a boy, oddly scrawny and impish, threw himself between the gun and the beast. The girl's breath caught in her throat.

"Don't shoot him!" the boy screamed, his arms flying out.

"Don't shoot," Naminé murmured, her heart beating hard and fast. "Oh, gods…"

There was a muffled sound of voices, and Naminé squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to see this. She listened as the beast began to growl, and the voices began to shout.

"The wolf, the wolf!" they cried, and Naminé felt her eyes snap open. She gasped, pushing herself as far as she dared over the edge, her eyes darting from the man with the gun, to the wolf, to the boy, who was now on the ground, rolling away from the snapping jaws of the beast. The man was aiming at the wolf, ready to shoot, and Naminé blanched, feeling her limbs go limp again.

But her mind was revving into overdrive, spouting out information she did not understand or remember learning. She breathed shakily, feeling her heart ram in her chest, and she nodded, her lips trembling as she tried to make sense of this alien feeling that enveloped her body.

"_Mac Tíre_!" she called, her voice lilting in a foreign accent, and her words rolling naturally from her tongue. "_Tar_!"

She blinked, raising her shaking hand to her lips, and she looked around to see if someone had said these words instead, possibly, despite the fact that she had _felt _them. She didn't know what she had said. She didn't recognize the language. She was simply frightened by the fact that she had no idea what had just happened.

She gasped loudly and stumbled back as the wolf suddenly came leaping across the split between the two ships, its paws pounding on the deck, and Naminé did a double take, her eyes flashing from the other ship to the beast. She was not sure what had happened, but she was helpless to it. She took a step back, a scream caught in her throat, her fear smothering it. The beast was bigger than she had ever imagined. It was bigger than her, definitely!

Naminé turned back toward the ship, and she stared blankly at the people without faces. And then her eyes caught the boy's. He was watching her with a gaze that made her uneasy, as if she had just sprouted a second head, and the more he watched her, the more frightened she got. She couldn't completely make out any of his features from the distance, but she could tell his face was angular, and his frame was thin. Naminé cut off the gaze, and looked back at the wolf.

It was staring at her, its eyes glistening in the dim light, and it cocked its head like a puppy. Naminé's mouth dropped open, and she almost smiled at it. It pawed at her bare feet, whining a little, and she giggled in spite of herself, pulling up the hem of her white nightdress so the wolf would not rip it. Vaguely she heard her name being called, but she paid no heed, her mind suddenly enrapt in the wolf. It was very pretty, she noticed, her eyes falling on its angular face, and the soft looking flaxen-grey fur. She wondered if it was as soft as it appeared…

The girl reached out dazedly, and the tips of her fingers brushed the short, bristled fur on its snout, and she ran it down. She blinked after a moment, and she fell out of the daze. It seemed the wolf did too, for it started, jumping from her hand, and its jaw snapped, inches from her fingers. Naminé's scream was finally unleashed, and she stumbled back, tripping over something, a rope, or maybe just her own feet, and she fell hard against the deck, her skull smacking on wood.

She stared dizzily up at the stars, feeling stupid and numb. She wanted to go back to sleep. Why had she come up onto the deck again? Curiosity? Vanitas had warned her about that. Perhaps she should actually start listening to him. She groaned, raising her hand to her hand and feeling her veil slip back far. She blinked as she heard a deep rumbling, and she propped herself onto her shoulders.

She swallowed another scream, her eyes flying wide as she came nose to nose with the wolf, the scent of blood on its breath filling her nose. She gagged, and it sniffed her, its teeth bared, and blood dripping from the sharp fangs. Naminé winced as she felt a droplet run down her neck. She stared up at it, watching its eyes. She was startled by them, by the strange blue color they were. And something inside her head clicked.

But before she could say something to the wolf, she saw a blur of orange, and she cried out as the wolf scurried back, and she saw a scar of the bright light in her vision. She blinked profusely as she was lifted into the air, and she flailed, spouting more nonsense in that foreign tongue.

"Shut up!" the man holding her cried. She blinked and suddenly she recognized him.

"Axel?" she whispered as he spun her around, her veil dropping to the ground, and her long golden hair spilling out onto the deck.

"Idiot!" he screamed, pushing past the rest of the crew as more people filed onto the deck. "You shouldn't have done that…"

* * *

><p><em>I know I shouldn't be updating, because I planned on doing so when I updated White Knight again, but I can't wait that long. I could update another chapter of this and still have one to spare, while for White Knight I'm having a difficult time wrapping everything up. I'm on the last chapter (legitimately this time, guys, that's why it's taking so long).<em>

_So I figured I'd tell you guys why White Knight is on hold, and why I'm focusing more on this story? I think there's a part of me that doesn't want White Knight to end, and that's why I'm having so much trouble pulling together the final plot lines. I don't like the way the last chapter is written, and SO MANY THINGS HAPPEN. It might end up being the longest chapter in the story (fittingly, I'd think). _

_So about this chapter. I was inspired to update by the WONDERFULLY TALENTED ALACQUIENE, WHO DECIDED TO DRAW A REALLY AWESOME PICTURE OF AQUA AS CALDER. I'm sorry, I can't get over it, it's too great. Especially because I didn't expect ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO EVER HAPPEN. If you want to see the picture, look up Aqcuia on Deviant Art, because links on my profile just don't want to work anymore? Idk. _

_Despite Aqua not being in this chapter (which sucks, because writing Aqua is really fun), I think it's my favorite so far. I really loved writing Terra with his mother, who was unexpectedly super fun to write? Maybe it's because I got to show how dumb Terra is. OH AND THE FAERIE INFORMATION. The dire wolf showed up as well! Mostly inspired by GoT, but I made this decision after I started seeing stuff about dire wolves popping up just about everywhere, so I took that as a sign. Plus, dire wolves were huge, and I needed a big wolf._

_Okay, now the languages. I hope you guys don't mind that I'm putting them in here. I felt like the story would be better if different magic was spoken in different languages, Mermaid songs are in French, because they are sirens, and seductresses, and Angie thinks French is more romantic than Italian (which I was originally going to use because of the sirens in the Odyssey being so close to Italy). FUCKING AMORE. I'm kidding, anyway... Um, and what type of magic Nami uses is kind of not stated, but it probably will be later? I used google translate, and it's Irish. Correct me if it's wrong._

_Also, the French song! I actually looked up french nursery rhymes, and I thought that one was perfect for the situation. Translations will take up too much room considering how long this note is already, so I'm going to ask that you look up what it means if you want to know?_

_I'm going to thank Celine again. THANK YOU SO MUCH, I LOVE YOU, WHY ARE YOU SO TALENTED? =[ No, ignore the sad face._

_-Dani_


	5. Learn the Pace

**{learn the pace}**

Naminé gasped as she was dropped onto the floor of her cabin, her hair cushioning her fall. She blinked up at the red haired man who slammed the door behind him, staring down at her with a glower that was half irritation and half pity. The blonde scrambled onto her knees, feeling a wave of panic envelope her, and she flung herself onto her hands.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried, wincing as she shifted the weight off her injured hand. "I didn't mean to bring the wolf over, honest!"

"What?" Axel asked blankly, his glare sliding away, and his expression turning startled. "Hey, hey, calm down! The wolf belongs to us, kid, don't worry about that!"

Naminé gazed at her hands, watching her arms tremble pitifully, and she blinked up at him. "But… you said…"

"Ya shouldn't have done it," Axel muttered, leaning back against the door. "That was the truth, okay? But damn, if you hadn't, he might've…"

"Died," Naminé whispered, bringing herself off her hands and rubbing her aching wrist. "I saw the metal spitters… the, um…" She licked her lips. "Guns?"

Axel laughed, a short, hearty thing that made his face light up. "Aye!" he snorted. "Guns. Oh, hell, I forgot you know nothin' about the world. Must be hard, taking in all of this new information. I find it all crushing as is."

"It's not—" Naminé choked on her words, her jaw clamping closed on her tongue, and she hissed through her teeth. "I mean, being here frightens me, but I… I wouldn't go back to where I was. I'm happy to be learning about the world."

"Funny." Axel cocked his head. "You were on your hands and knees only a few moments ago, eh?"

Naminé swallowed and nodded. "I think I… misjudged you, Axel. You are kinder than Vanitas."

"No." Axel pushed off from the door and dropped on one knee before her, so she could see the abnormal brightness of his green eyes. "See, we hate you. I hate you, got it memorized?"

Her eyes widened, her stomach lurching at his words. "What have I done?" she gasped, scrambling away from him. His face grew grave in the lantern light.

"No one's told you," Axel whispered, rubbing his face tiredly. "There's a reason for that… perhaps Vanitas just wants to keep you calm, but I ain't like him. I think you should know why you're here."

"Why, then?" Naminé cried, jumping to her feet. "Tell me, what wrong could I possibly have done to a group of pirates?"

Axel watched, his gaze never betraying his apparent hatred, and he smiled a little. "Ya wouldn't remember, I'd think." He rose to his feet as well, and stretched his arms up over his head. "But your blood is cursed to us… I mean, don't get all bent out of shape about it, because we're cursed too, but you…"

"What?" She stared at him, the dim light bouncing shadows around the small room, and the girl breathed air that tasted of sweat and salt heavily, trying to wrap her head around Axel's words. "How am I cursed? Axel, please, _explain_ instead of evading my questions! Why do you hate me?"

Axel shook his head, his smirk widening. "I've already told you too much, princess," he said softly, turning on his heel and moving toward the door. Naminé stared after him, stumbling forward, her mind telling her to stop him, but she knew he wouldn't tell her anything else.

"Axel, wait!" she cried, tripping over her air, and falling hard on her stomach, her chin smacking off the wooden planks. "Oh, ow…"

"Wow, smooth." She heard the man laugh, a snide chuckle that made Naminé flush. Maybe Axel really did hate her.

She pushed herself up, brushing the blood from her chin, and she look at Axel's face. "Thank you," she choked. "Axel, I don't care if you hate me. You saved me, alright? I'm in your debt."

"Wha—?" Axel's eyes widened. "Ya shouldn't say shit like that, Naminé."

"It's true, though," she said, shaking her head. "I can make up… whatever it is I did to make you and the others hate me. I'm indebted to you, Axel."

He stared at her, his jaw setting in an odd way, as if he was fighting his emotions, and he turned around. "I am kinder than Vanitas," he said quietly. "Which is why I ain't telling anyone about this. But be careful what you say from now on. There's magic in words, princess, and you gotta be careful how you use them, or else they'll bind you down. Ever wonder why faeries can't tell lies?"

"Faeries?" Naminé asked distantly.

Axel rolled his eyes. "Never mind, I should go. I don't think the captain saw you, be thankful for that, but be careful. I can't protect you, and honestly, I ain't a knight. I hate you. I can't protect someone like you." He left without another word.

* * *

><p>Kairi's head bobbed in the water as she gazed up worriedly at the ship, keeping up with its slow speed. With no one to steer it, it was going nowhere. She listened to the sound of screams and unknown cracks, possibly from handheld cannons. Regular sized cannons blasted away, firing at the helpless ship, and Kairi stared helplessly as more men crossed over to Sora's ship.<p>

She'd seen his face when he and Ventus had tried to get her to speak, and something about him made her head spin. She'd never been this close to a human that wasn't Ventus… but she could rarely regard Ventus as human, not with his antics. She'd never seen him kill anyone, but she could smell the blood on his hands. He was no different from the folk, even despite his human blood. He had the mind of a faerie, clever and sharp witted, and he had magic in him. This placed him above humans in the eyes of the fae.

Not Kairi, though. Sometimes she was scared of Ven, of how time and magic has changed him. And she knew that Ven was afraid of her, in some way or another, because she wasn't human. Kairi was ageless, forever sixteen (a proper age, though in truth she had just turned ninety two), and she had watched him from the time when he had appeared, restless and so very humany. He kept his restlessness and added to it, pushing himself to his limits, trying new and daring things, doing everything except tear himself open to look within to see if he really was human. Sometimes Kairi heard him talk to himself, tell himself stories to keep his mind at bay. When he was lonely he would sit on a rock and stare up at the sky with the eyes of a drowned sailor (trust that Kairi knew this image well).

No one knew Ventus the way Kairi did, not even Light. Light presumed she knew him, but there was a lack of empathy that gave her a disadvantage. Kairi was half human, so she could understand. Even if her blood was cold, and her instincts were distinctly homicidal, she felt a connection with them. Unlike faeries, they had a sense of emotion that she wanted to envelope herself in. It was a weakness among the merfolk, a stigma, but she loved the feeling of emotions.

Kairi pushed herself down into the water, swimming downward as she allowed the pressure to take over her. She stared at her hands, wondering if she could manage glamour, like older mermaids could. She could make herself look human, if she wanted. At least appear so, even if the tail was still there. The human boy wouldn't have to know. She thought about it, mulling the idea of deceiving him in such a way, and she hissed through her pointed teeth, listening to her gurgles and glubbing.

She resurfaced quickly, only to find something horrific. The ship was sinking. She shrieked in terror, pushing herself forward, and screaming out, "Ven? Ven!" She wrinkled her nose at the scent of smoke, the blaze of the ship stinging her eyes and scorching her throat. She had to duck under water again to properly compose herself.

"Ven!" she screamed again, splashing in the water as she pushed away debris. "Gods damn it, Ven! Where are you?"

There was no answer, only the roar of the blaze, and the earsplitting cracks of cannons. She gulped water as waves lapped against her cheeks, her skin feeling prickly, and dry, and Kairi breathed to keep her panic at bay. See, mermaids hated emotions because it made them feel weird. Inside and out.

"Ven!" she called into the night, her fins flapping as she pushed herself nearer to the fire. "Ventus, you ass!"

The night was cool, and the air stung her face, and she felt like crying. But her eyes would not tear, and she began to scream, thrashing in place, the shrill cry ripping across the night in a piercing fashion, and stretching far and wide. She felt her face contort as she screeched, her skin rippling with the magic she was unleashing. She wanted everyone to hear her panic. She wanted them to revel in it.

When she was done, she ducked into the water and searched for a sign of a human body, but it seemed no one had fallen from the ship yet. She resurfaced, her skin normal again, and she pushed her hair back from her face, her fingers brushing over pearls and braids of colorful seaweed. She blinked as she spotted a familiar face.

"Ven!" she gasped, ducking under and darting through the water, appearing a few yards away. "Ven, are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

The boy was pale, the icy water creeping up his neck, and his mop of dirty blond hair sat in a mess of sloppy spikes on his head. His lips were blue, and gaping, and his eyes were hollow. For a moment Kairi thought he was dead.

"I'm fine," he croaked, not looking at her face. "I fell… didn't bother stopping myself, I just let myself go under. Thought I might try drowning, but…" He coughed, spitting water back into the ocean, and Kairi gave him a long, sorrowful look.

"Oh, Ven," she whispered, touching his shoulder. He gave her a small smile.

"I feel alive," he spat, blinking profusely. "My eyes hurt, and this water tastes terrible."

"You look dead," Kairi replied, her voice sharp. "And what do you mean, it tastes terrible?"

"Like someone just made me take a shot of salt," he said with a short laugh. "Gods, this is yucky!"

"You humans are so odd!" Kairi grinned, swimming around him. "Oh, you haven't gone swimming with me in ages, though, can we go now?" She'd forgotten the burning ship for a moment, despite the aching in her throat and eyes, and the itch at her skin.

"Gonna pass," Ven yawned, glancing up at the ship. "I'm gonna make sure Sora's okay before I head out, but I really need to dry this suit off. I do plan on going somewhere in it tomorrow."

"Oh," Kairi murmured. She said nothing else.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring at the sinking ship, Kairi thinking about how fascinating fire was despite its bitter taste and stinging effect, and Ven floating on his back, light as a feather against the water. Kairi breathed in the toxic air, and she wondered if her father had noticed her absence, or if Demyx had gotten himself into trouble. Often Kairi tried to imagine what he would do without her, but she waved that thought away.

He'd probably be better off, and Kairi swallowed the truth like a cube of ice, feeling it slide uncomfortably down her throat.

"Ven," she whispered finally, pointing at the ship. Ven turned to stare, his gaunt face gleaming in the moonlight.

He let out a soft hiss, and he moved forward slowly. "Where's Sora?" he murmured, ducking down into the water as a lifeboat came drifting past. The ship was crumbling now, and Ven stared, his eyes widening. "No. No way."

Kairi blinked at him, her eyes moving between him and the ship. The fire was losing its life as water filled the ship, and Kairi let out a little breath of fear. Was the human boy still on the collapsing, burning, drowning ship? She coughed a little, the smoke burning her throat. If she went too close to the fire, she'd die just from the toxins.

But Kairi was having trouble fighting with her conscience on this one.

She dove down, her fin splashing Ven in the face, and she swam down, observing the mass as it sunk into the ocean. She squinted into the darkness, though she could see fine, and she made out a human shape caught in the riggings as pieces of the ship sunk downwards. She zipped toward him, reaching into the knapsack that was tied tightly around her waist with tattered pieces of sails, and seaweed, and pulled out a long, rather sharp looking rock. She used it to cut through fishing lines and nets when she got caught (it happened more often then she'd like to admit).

Kairi grabbed the rope and began to cut, her rock slicing the bonds that kept the boy drifting beneath the water, and she stared at his face, marble-like in the darkness, and she sighed. The sound that came from her mouth was a faint gurgle. Kairi blinked up as the rest of the mass descended upon them, and she wrapped her arms around the boy, her fingers gripping his floating shirt. After a moment of awe, she bolted, dragging him with her, and she swam fast. Her fins swished against the water, and she felt everything move around her as if she was parting the sea with her speed.

She rose to the surface with a gasp, spitting smoke and water, and she dragged the boy up with her, staring at him with wide eyes. What had she done? Was he dead from the swim? Had he been dead when she had found him? Kairi looked around for Ventus, but he was nowhere to be seen. She breathed the sharp air around her, her fingers slipping on Sora's skin. She didn't know what to do now that she had the human boy.

She felt sick to her stomach as her fingers dug deep into his skin. She was disgusted with her first instinct, which was to drag the boy down to the bottom of the ocean and watch as he squirmed and thrashed himself to his own watery grave.

That wouldn't work, no.

"Hey," Kairi whispered, shaking him a little. His head lolled, falling against the water, and Kairi began to panic. She needed to get him to shore, and quick, or else he'd…

Kairi didn't want to think about it. So she swam, fast, but careful to keep his head above water. Her body was made for this type of thing, and the water moved around her in a way that allowed her to accelerate in speed. She breathed in air, and gulped water, and her muscles strained to keep hold of the boy, but she managed. She looked up at the sky and prayed that she might make it ashore in time to save him.

Mermaids were awful creatures, but men were so infatuated in their beauty that they didn't care much. Kairi hated her race, thinking them savage and disgusting, and this cause a large amount of self-loathing to take root inside her cold body. She wanted to be human, where people could feel without the harsh after affects, and the constant humiliation. She wanted to live where luring children off docks and feeding on their flesh was not a common occurrence, and have freedom for once in her life.

Kairi dragged the boy onto a beach a few miles away from the shipwreck. She winced as the air bit her skin, hissing at her and warning her to go back where she had came, that she did not belong. She paid no heed, and she shimmied ashore, her arms around his chest.

"Okay," she whispered, glancing around the dark beach, her damp hair sticking uncomfortably to her back, and her neck. She peeled a long strand from her forearm and frowned. "Okay, breathe. Breathe." She stared at him, poking his cheek in confusion. Was he dead? His limp body was sprawled in the sand, mouth agape and half filled with water.

She cocked her head to the side, and she brushed her fingers over his blue lips, humming an old sailor tune softly to herself. The boy was probably dead. She should go before someone saw and assumed she'd done the drowning. But Kairi was enthralled by the boy, by the strange difference of their faces, and by the awkward angle his legs were tilted, and by the tangle of brown hair that was mopped atop his head in tussled wet spikes.

"Can't you hear me?" Kairi asked, her voice hoarse in her throat. The ocean lapped at her tail-fin, but she could already feel the dryness of the sand suck her skin dry. Kairi's fingers traced his lips, and she fingered her own, frowning at the shape. Why were hers so full? Perhaps it was a mermaid thing? And she touched her eyes, her mouth dropping open. Why were his so small? Were Ven's this small? Were hers simply big? She was shocked for some reason or another as she stared at Sora, unconscious and unknowing.

"Shall I sing to you?" Kairi whispered in a hushed panic. "It may help. There is magic in words."

He was still warm to the touch, so Kairi thought she would give it a try. She flicked her tail, and licked her lips, and she began,

"_Petit Arlequin, voulez-vous danser_?" she sang in a hush, her voice carrying over the water, and lulling the waves that tickled her waist. "_Un petit bonbon je vous donnerai_."

Kairi breathed in the scent of land, her mind whirling with weakness as she tried to convince herself that she could stay longer, that the boy might like to see her face to face. Maybe he wouldn't notice her tail, or wouldn't care. But the land was zapping all her strength from her, and it was taking all of her energy just to stammer out her words. There was no melody, but her voice morphed her words and gave them one anyway.

"_Je ne sais pas la cadence_

_Je n' sais pas comment l'on danse,_

_Je n' sais pas danser_."

She breathed and stared at him, her fingers digging into the sand as she peered at his tan face. Kairi had been angry at Ven when he'd dragged her to that ship, thinking he was going to betray her, and she'd get caught in a fishing trap, but when she realized he was introducing her to a friend… she'd felt bad for doubting the boy.

"Did that make you feel better?" she asked quietly, reaching her sandy fingers toward his face. "I learnt it from a human. She sang and danced on a dock across the water for hours and hours, and I learned rhymes and songs I'd never hear underwater. She sang tales of battles and fire, and dance and flight. I've never experienced any of that. I never will."

The boy's mouth was still agape, and Kairi wondered if it would be wise to breathe into it. After all, a mermaid's kiss was magic enough to awaken him. But the girl realized she was too scared to do so. What if he was repulsed by her tail? What if he pushed her away, or worse, dragged her to his home and skewered her with a hot iron poker?

Kairi shuddered. "Humans have it easy," she murmured, pulling her tail closer to her and stroked her faint pink scales. "You don't have to worry about getting netted up, and there's no sharks to chase you, and no schoolmaidens to tease you because you haven't drowned a sticking sailor yet, and iron doesn't burn you, and you get to age, and feel, and breathe, and run, and fight, and fly—" she startled herself as the last word slipped through her lips, and she frowned. "Well, no, not the last one, I don't think. But all the others… you look pale, shall I sing again?"

The boy was a corpse, it seemed, laying sprawled in the sand, pale as a courtly faerie almost. She moved forward, her body tensing as she tried to capture his lips in a kiss, but she couldn't do it. She was frightened that she would make it worse, or it would work too well and the boy would go power mad. So she sat, staring, and unsure of what to do next.

She had no time to think anyway. She was grabbed from behind and yanked back roughly, and she screamed in shock, a terrible screech that split the night. She flailed against the arms that held her but stopped when she felt something hot slide against her throat. And then she began to scream again, this time louder, inhuman hisses and screeches tearing from her mouth, her pointy teeth bared, and she felt her skin ripple.

Whatever it was that was on her neck, it burned. Not simply burned, it _scorched_ her skin, sizzling it at the simple exposure, and it made her throat tight and prickly. She flapped her fin against the sand, and tried to tear the arms that were around her away, but she couldn't. She felt weak, and disoriented, and she screamed in agony as the hot metal scathed her.

"What were you doing to him?" a cold voice growled in her ear, and she screamed louder, a shudder running down her spine at the human contact. Not even Ven got this close to her.

"Nothing!" she rasped, writhing beneath the man's fingers, her body convulsing against the iron pressed at her throat. "Oh, gods, please! Get… that thing…" she began to cough, her throat hitting the blunt side of the blade, and she cried out. Her head slammed against the man's chest.

"Why should I believe you, siren?" the man asked, his voice a sneer against her skin. She felt like she was smothering in fire.

She coughed, and screamed, and flailed wildly, but he would not let go. So she spat out, each of her words tasting like poison on her tongue, "I _did not _hurt him! I saved him!" Her lungs felt as if there was a fire lit between the two, and the smoke was leaking inside and filling up fast.

"He's lying, half dead, and soaked, washed up on a beach, and you expect me to believe you're here out of kindness?" The man half laughed, and Kairi sunk back against him, feeling the urge to cry. She didn't, however. She was too scared.

"Please…" she whispered, her voice too hoarse for screaming, and the birdlike screeches she had cried out earlier nothing but an echo on the horizon now. Her eyes still stung from smoke, and the iron in the blade against her throat was making her nauseous. Her head spun, and she felt the urge to vomit.

There was a pause, a short silence, filled with the soft rolling of waves and the gentle caw of an early bird some ways away. And then he dropped her.

She hit the sand face first, and she gasped shakily, spitting out the taste of iron and smoke, her eyes swimming with unshed tears, and she quelled them. She reached out for the ocean, her throat burning as if someone had placed a collar around her neck and then set it ablaze. The man grabbed her before she could reach her home.

He spun her around, and she looked at him, her gaze transforming from broken to fierce easily enough. He clutched her by a shoulder, his other hand clutching that awful chunk of iron blade, and he stared at her, his blue-green eyes taking in her face. His expression seemed startled at first, but it faded fast to stoic. His features were slim, and his hair was silver, and cropped to his ears, and Kairi stared at his shoulders, noticing the soft roll of a translucent shimmer resided there.

"I swear upon the rest of my useless life, I did not harm the mortal," she choked out, glancing warily at the sword. She felt hot, and dizzy, and she wanted to drift. "Please let me go home."

"I'll believe that," the boy said slowly. He was not a man, she realized with a bitterness. His face was too young, though long as it was, and his features were drenched in youth. "A vow is solemn, even among your kind. You'd shrivel the moment you touched the water if that was a lie." He glanced at the waves as they tumbled against Kairi's tail. "Not the case."

"Right," she coughed, closing her eyes. "Please let me go."

"Why did you save him? What happened?"

"I…" Kairi stared up at him desperately. "When he awakes, ask him of it. I caught little from afar."

"And if he never awakes?"

Kairi scowled and rubbed her neck. "Not very optimistic," she murmured softly, rolling her eyes toward the sea. "I suppose you heard me singing, since you named me so quickly, knight."

The boy raised an eyebrow, and his lips drew out thin. He nodded. "I did."

"Then you should know the magic in a siren's song."

He watched her with weary eyes, the eyes of a knowing old traveler, and he said quietly, "Black magic. Darkness spun into words, that's all you sirens create."

"Magic isn't black and white," Kairi said hoarsely, her gaze a hard and accusing glare. "Magic is everything, every color and shade, a spread of rainbows and flowers, and with those comes the rain and thorns. If you live your life believing that black is bad and white is good, and that there is nothing between those, and nothing beside those, then you are doomed by your morals. I was born in the deep abyss of the sea, and yet I harbor no hatred for humanity. What of you?"

"Are you asking me my lineage?" the boy asked icily. "You aren't in a position to."

"I am asking you what color pleases you, since you obviously think that because I come from darkness, I'm evil." Kairi's lips twisted into a nasty, childish grin. "But I think I already know."

"Do you?"

"Yes," she coughed, pushing her hair from her face. "Darkness clings to you, sir— it clings to you more than it clings to me, or more than that glamour clings to your face to make you look a bit more human."

He stepped back, startled, because mermaids were not supposed to see through glamour. And she didn't, not really, she just notice it was there, a gleam against the streak of morning light. His grip slackened slightly, and she tore away from him, diving into the sea where she let herself be sucked into the tide, and dart far away from Sora, the boy she'd rescued, and his inhuman protector.

* * *

><p><em>Yeah, I updated this again. It's easier to write than White Knight is at the moment, I'm going to guess because I have a lot left to go through, while this is the end with White Knight. <em>

_Another Aqualess chapter! The one I wrote most recently is actually mostly Aqua, so lol. _

_I really want to write more RiKai interactions, because THEY'RE KIND OF INSANELY FUN. I don't think I intended to reveal that Riku isn't human until later, but whatever. I like writing Kairi, it's quite different from her canonness. I guess the homicidal, blood thirsty sea creature thing is what makes me like her. I am dumb._

_Hmm, who wasn't in this chapter? I think it was just Aqua, Xion, and Terra. OH THE NORMAL PEOPLE. Oh, except Vanitas, oops. Yeah never mind. _

_Another faerie song? Yes. I forget what this one is called, probably Little Harlequin, or something. _

_Hmm. I wonder when Shanna will review... I'd love to make a bet with Angie about this, because I'm sure Shanna's busy reading City of Lost Souls right now (that's what the new one is called, right? I don't read them, so I don't know)._

_OH HOLY CRAP, BET WITH ANGIE. I JUST REMEMBERED THAT I'M ABOUT TO WIN ONE WITH HER. IN A MONTH. (I think I talk about her too much in my Author's Notes, I should stop.)_

_Mmm. Review if possible? I want to know how I'm writing Kairi. She's really new to me._

_-Dani_


	6. The Kindness of Strangers

**{the kindness of strangers}**

At dawn Aqua was already up, doing her chores with a rekindled spirit. She knew she'd already told her stepmother she was not going, but it was not the first time she had lied to the woman, and it certainly would not be the last. Aqua was capable of getting to the ball by herself, and she had a dress that had once been her mother's folded in a trunk somewhere in her room.

Aqua's room doubled as a storage area for the entire household, so it was a bit cramped, and disorganized. She had tried on numerous occasions to clean it, but she had no avail. There was simply too much stuff.

Aqua set down a breakfast tray in front of Jihl's door, the last of them, and she knocked carefully. "Stepmother, I'm going into town to get fresh flowers!" she called, stepping away from the door and bolting down the hallway before the woman could reply.

She was already dressed in her boy clothes; a pair of baggy, dirt smeared pants, an equally baggy, once-white shirt, and a worn leather hunting vest. These were all clothes she'd stolen from her father's wardrobe before he had passed away, thinking she would grow into them. She needed two belts to keep the pants up, and the shirt had tumbled below her knees once. Now it was more near her upper thighs. The vest fit pretty well, though.

She shoved her hair up into her hat and leaped outside, slamming to door behind her. She hoped the racket would wake the sleeping crones. As she ran down the paved way, and pushed open the wrought iron gate, she found herself rather exhilarated. She shoved her hands in her pockets and grinned, tipping her hat to a busker on a corner. He glanced at her over his fiddle, and he winked. Aqua paused and wondered if he saw through her disguise, that he could possibly know her true gender. But Aqua thought that impossible.

She couldn't be too sure though.

"You're very good," she commented in a deeper, thicker voice layered with an accent that was an oddly flawed variation of her own. She tossed a coin into the hat at the boy's feet, which was ugly, and small, and moth bitten. It looked like it had seen five wars, with patches and holes and dirt and blood to tell its tales for it.

"Ya think so?" The boy looked startled for a moment, staring at the coin she'd dropped into his hat with a strange sort of awe. "I don't play it often. Just when I'm not feeling great."

Aqua paused again, glancing down at the boy with a new sense of curiousness. He was younger than her, by a year or two perhaps, with a cute elfish face, and a toothy smile to go with it. He looked normal enough, his hair the color of honey, a natural unruly mop that framed his face. Aqua would not have been taken aback if it wasn't for his eyes.

They were blue, like hers, but more like the color of the summer sky and less like the vast expanse of ocean. That wasn't what shocked her. The thing that startled her was how _old_ he looked when staring into his eyes, as if he'd grown decades, happy in a weary, almost dead way. He watched her without noticing her shock.

"Thank you," he said slowly, bending down to pick up the hat with the coin, which would be just enough to get him some breakfast. Aqua didn't plan on getting many flowers anyway, so she was fine with sparing the money. "I didn't expect to get anything, honestly."

"Why?" Aqua's eyebrows raised as the boy slung the fiddle over his shoulder on a weedy strap, and she noticed it looked like no fiddle she'd ever seen before. It was dark, a deep mahogany maybe, with swirling golden grooves winding along the neck and base. It looked handmade, but very delicate, like a glass toy.

"I ain't popular around here." He shrugged and laughed. "Don't blame them. I'm a trouble maker wherever I go!"

"Are you?" Aqua tilted her head and smiled a little. "Can't even tell. You look too sweet."

The boy grinned broadly, almost wickedly, and he nodded. "Yeah, that's my secret weapon! Cuteness just melts some people's hearts, and the people whose hearts are made of stone… they've got flesh made of butter built up around it."

Aqua stared at him for a moment, too surprised to shudder. Her shock faded, and she found herself laughing. The boy seemed startled at this. "Aye!" Aqua snickered. "Men are made soft."

The boy eyed her. "Aye," he agreed, tapping his bow against his thigh. "I think women are made tougher, to be honest."

Aqua almost missed this lovely jewel of a comment due to her staring at the bow with an awe, and she looked at his face, her own splitting in a grin. "Can't argue with ya there," she said. "Sorry, I don't mean to change the subject so abruptly, but may I see your bow?"

The boy blinked fast for a moment before glancing down at the said bow, and for a long moment he seemed to be at mental battle with himself. Finally he yielded, and handed the thing to her without comment. Aqua took it eagerly, her fingers brushing over the flaxen fibers, and then along the rod itself, which was thicker than most. She ran her fingers all the way up until she reached a pummel at the end, a very small pummel for a very small sword, and with a twist and a jerk, she unsheathed it.

It glinted in the sun, as fat as her index finger and as light as feather. She stared at it in awe for a moment, wondering if she could bear to wield such a lightweight, delicate thing, and she quickly sheathed it again.

"A trouble maker you are," Aqua said quietly, handing the bow back to the boy. There were few people on the street, as it was still much too early for the market to be open, but those who were opening their shops around that corner were looking at them strangely from windows.

"Well," the boy said loftily, "admit it. It's pretty cool."

"I have to agree." Aqua was a bit breathless, wondering about this sword, how it had come to be forged, and about the odd looking fiddle, and how damn strange this boy was over all. "I never would have thought you could have a sword in a bow."

"It shoots arrows too," the boy quipped. Aqua gaped at him, and she looked down at the bow, her mind trying to make work of this. "Kidding," he laughed after a beat. "I can't imagine the sound it would make if that were true."

Aqua stared at him incredulously for a short time, before she began to laugh as well. "I can imagine it," Aqua said, sniffing. "It sounds like awesome."

"Yes!" the boy cried, punching the air. "Exactly, the sound of pure amazing screeching from my violin."

Aqua continued to laugh, feeling lighter than she had in years. "What's your name?" she asked finally, once she'd settled down.

The boy looked as if he had not expected this question. "Oh," he said. "Ventus. Ven, for short."

"Ven." Her voice softened as she spoke his name, and she bit her tongue. She'd sounded like a girl just then. "Do ya know how to use that blade?"

"Yeah." Ven rolled his eyes. "I mean, duh! I wouldn't carry it around if I didn't. That'd be dangerous."

"I agree," Aqua murmured, scratching her head. "Well, Ven, someday I'd love to duel you. If that's alright? I've only ever really had one opponent, and… I mean, that sword looks like it was made special. Eh?" Aqua licked her lips, her tongue nearly fumbling over her words. Boy-talk was so difficult to grasp.

Ven shrugged, grasping the bow-sheath tightly, and Aqua could see his growing discomfort. "I made it myself," he said, pursing his cracked and dirty lips.

Aqua stared at him, and she glanced at the sheath again, feeling herself gape. "You're a smith?" she gasped, feeling her pitch raise. "Gods, how did you manage that?"

"I dunno, I just learned how one time a while ago when I was bored. I make weapons and armor and stuff when people ask. I don't charge, so if you want something, you can ask." He shot Aqua a grin, this one so innocent she felt taken aback by how child-like he appeared.

"That's a really kind offer," Aqua said softly. She didn't even bother masking her voice now. "I'm not sure if I can accept something like that."

The boy snorted, and he scooped the coin out of his hat, pocketing it, and he plopped it onto his head so his right hand was free. "Which arm is your sword arm?"

"Well, right, but I don't—" She stopped herself as he grabbed her arm and pulled it out to full length, comparing it to his own arm, and then to his bow. Aqua stood silently, feeling awkward and guilty. "I don't need a sword," she insisted, but he heard none of it.

"Wow, you're way tinier than you look!" Ven nudged her leg with his toe, and Aqua spun away on impact, tearing her arm from his grasp. He stared at her as she hunched over defensively, and whistled. "Light on your feet too."

"I guess…" Aqua relaxed a little, her guilt present once again. She felt dumb and self-conscious. "Look, Ven, I don't need a sword. Really. You shouldn't waste your strengths on strangers."

"You're not a stranger." He smiled big, and Aqua felt even more awful about all of this. "You were my friend from the moment you gave me this." Ven pulled the coin from his pocket, waving the copper piece between two fingers. "I'm pretty dumb, I'll admit it. Didn't get to go to school, you know? But gosh, I like to pride myself in my taste in people, and you are a quality person!" He bowed in a mock courteous way (or maybe it truly was courteous, she couldn't be sure), and he turned on his heel and began to walk away. And then he turned back to look at her.

"Hey, I'm gonna need a name to call upon my new friend, once I get this sword done," he said, his words soft. The blue haired girl blinked slowly, and she smiled back at him.

"Aqua," she said, her lips forming her true name before she could stop them, and she felt herself freeze up. Ven grinned, thinking nothing of it.

"Later, then, Aqua!" he cried, before bolting down the street quicker than Aqua could have imagined a human could move.

* * *

><p>Xion was not very well versed in the world of beauty. Sure, she was a pretty girl, or so Terra told her when she began to criticize her appearance, but she really just did not get it. She could not handle the mess of black hair that hung a little below her ears, and she couldn't get her lips to get into that full pouty look her stepmother had, and her complexion was a weird half-tan that came from the days she was allowed to go outside and ride a horse, or play in the pond. She never left the grounds, though.<p>

So getting ready for the ball was something she just had no idea how to do. She stared at herself in her mirror, her face screwed up as she tried to pick through her makeup and find the right type to use, and finally she just gave up.

"Makeup is stupid anyway," she huffed, pushing back her chair and turning her back to the mirror. "Gods, why couldn't I have a sister…" She regretted these words the moment they left her mouth. She didn't mean that.

"Okay," she said to herself, turning back to her mirror. "I've got four hours. I'll be fine."

She was lying to herself. She had no idea what to do. So when Terra knocked on her door a short while later, she jumped up and bolted to the door, swinging it open with such a force that it smacked against the wall. "You have to help me," she gasped, grabbing his arm and yanking him into the room, slamming the door behind him before the guard could comment.

"Um…" Terra shifted awkwardly as he looked around Xion's room, which was in such a disarray, he could barely see the wood beneath all the clothes strewn about the floor. "Xion, I'm not exactly sure how much help I'll be."

"Oh, don't lie, Terra, you look more like a girl than I do." Xion grabbed the mask her brother had bought for her from the floor, still not sure what dress to wear with it.

Terra looked offended by her comment, but he brushed it off as the joke it was, and he shook his head. "Alright, fine, sit," he sighed, and she grinned at him, blurting her thanks before he hushed her and pushed her toward the chair.

"Oh, gods," she whispered, staring at herself in the mirror. "Stepmother is right. I'm disgusting."

"Xion," Terra growled, snatching her brush. "Shut your mouth. My mother is a liar, and you're a fool for believing her."

"Wow," Xion laughed as he began to brush out her cropped black hair. "I'm sorry, this coming from you? You believe everything anyone tells you!"

"No I don't!" Terra yanked hard on the brush, and Xion cried out as Terra tore at the tangled strands. After a moment of silence the boy groaned. "Damn it, I set the worst example for you."

"That hurt," Xion mumbled, her fingers brushing the back of her head tenderly. "And yes, you do."

Terra brushed her hair without comment for a while after that, letting her hair become silky between his fingers, and he stepped back. "Okay, I don't know what else to do." He was being honest, and he handed his sister back her brush. "I'm not a girl, Xi, I've got no clue how to work with this now."

"Well, you're prettier than me," Xion grumbled. "How do you manage that? Do all boys have it this easy?"

"I'm not pretty," Terra hissed while Xion giggled. "Gods, fine, give me a clip. How do you want it?"

"My hair?" Xion blinked up at him, and he scowled.

"No, your roasted pig," he said sharply, turning her head toward the mirror. "Yes, Xion, your _hair_."

"Oh, um…" She bit her lip and looked up at him in the mirror, her expression pleading, and Terra felt his irritation vanish. She really had no idea what she was doing. "Just… how you used to do it, I guess?"

It took a moment for Terra to realize what she meant. "Oh, you mean the braids?" Terra wasn't sure if he could remember how to do that. Aqua had taught him how to braid hair years before, when she could pass for a boy as easily as a dirty, scrawny twelve year old could. She didn't have to disguise her voice or wrap her chest.

"Yes," Xion said quietly. "The braids. I liked them."

Terra nodded slowly, taking a piece of short raven hair between his fingers and staring at it dumbly for a moment. Oh, why was she trusting him with this? He sighed and began to braid, weaving pieces of her hair into each other with slight difficulty. He had to start over twice before it came out the way he wanted. He was quiet for a short while, his mind stuck on his mother's behavior the previous night. He was wary of her kindness, and afraid for Xion. The woman was lethal, for sure, and Terra had learned the hard way what trusting her could do. It took five 'accidents', the last nearly taking Xion's life for Terra to realize just how evil his mother was.

"Okay," Terra said, pulling the up and pushing it against the upper side of Xion's head to test its appearance. It actually didn't look half bad. "Give me a pin, or something."

"Ahead of you," she said with a small smile, holding out a crimson fake flower that had long black lace for leaves. This was something Terra had gotten her for her father's funeral years previous, and she had not worn it since. "As always."

Terra took the flower tentatively, gazing at the silken thing for a long moment before tucking it in her hair. Some of her bangs were pulled into the braid, which reached from her roots and wrapped halfway around her head, so Terra could see the girl's eyes clearly. The blue was deep, but not quite as dark as his eyes were. Xion often said their eye color marked them as siblings, and Terra didn't dare tell her that most of the Kingdom had blue eyes anyway.

"Alright, so are we good now?" Terra asked, peering over at her face. She was staring at herself in the mirror, her expression unreadable. "I'm not putting anything on your face, no matter what you say. That stuff will make you look like a clown."

Xion stared at her reflection for a second longer, and she glanced up at Terra and smiled slightly. "No, I think you've done enough for me already. Thank you, Terra."

Terra stared at his stepsister, feeling suddenly very useless. Perhaps he could get Aqua to tell him how to deal with girl things, or better yet, let Aqua meet Xion and see how the two girls hit off. He'd have to do that tonight. "You look beautiful, Xion," Terra murmured, wrapping an arm around her neck and pulling her toward him, kissing her head. She sputtered and laughed, pushing him playfully.

"You're such a bad liar," she said quietly.

* * *

><p>Naminé gazed at the dress sitting on her bed, wondering how Vanitas had even come to find such a pretty thing. It was small, and made of thin white silk that was almost to delicate to touch. She wondered if it would fit her, and then she wondered what she would do with her hair. She was sure the captain wouldn't want her to keep the nun veil on for the ball, but she had no idea what to do with the yards and yards of thick blonde hair.<p>

She jumped when a knock broke the silence, and she spun around to stare at her door. Backing away, she looked around for somewhere to hide, and she found a small nook between her bed and the window. She dropped to the floor, her hair pooling around her feet, and she pressed her back against the wall with her knees pressed to her chest.

Vanitas didn't know of her little adventure out on the deck the previous night, or at least he didn't appear to know. He was an enigma, to say the least, and Naminé was careful to avoid him. Could it be that Axel had finally spilled the secret, and now Vanitas was out to make her bend to his whim?

The door opened slowly, and Naminé felt her breathing stop as the floor boards creaked, and the ship swayed.

"Naminé?" a voice called, a timid voice that she scarcely recognized, but she knew for certain it was not Vanitas.

She blinked as a boy peered around her bed, his face stark in the lamplight, and her eyebrows furrowed. "Who are you?" she asked carefully, his face striking her recognition.

"Sorry." He walked around her bed and stood before her with a cautious smile. "I'm Roxas. I haven't really talked to you before."

"No one has," she said in a whisper. "Just excepting Vanitas and Axel, everyone here treats me like the plague."

The boy, Roxas, smiled and nodded. "They talk ill of you," he said, bending to his knees before her. "To them, you might as well be the plague."

Naminé glanced down at her knees, not sure how to handle this information. She felt a twinge of guilt, realizing that Axel had been right about everyone hating her. "Did Vanitas send you here, Roxas?" she asked bitterly.

His eyes widened, and Naminé turned away from him. She had no interest in dealing with the captain right now.

"No," Roxas said, shaking his head. "I came here to ask if you were alright."

She looked up at him sharply, and her eyes darted away fast as she tried to compose herself. She didn't understand his words, and she didn't understand his kindness, and she was confused out of her mind. She looked back at him. "_Why_?"

He shrugged, brushing some sweaty, grimy blond hair from his forehead. "Axel told me about what happened with the wolf," he said. "I wanted to know if it did anything to you. Bite you, scratch you? It ain't usual that it just lets a person go without making a mark."

Naminé sat up straight at the mention of the wolf, her eyes widening, and she let her knees fall. "It just growled," she said, shaking her head. "But what's its name? Where did you get it? Why is it on this ship, and not somewhere in the forest?"

"Whoa, whoa! One question at a time!" Roxas blinked fast, glancing around at the small room. "Uh, damn, alright. It doesn't have a name, we're not that nice. We just call it 'the wolf', and we got it years and years ago. I wouldn't be able to tell you where it comes from." He looked back at her. "But Vanitas likes to have it around. He can control it easily, and gods know he loves to control things."

"I've noticed," Naminé breathed. "Why is it so big?"

"It's a dire wolf…" Roxas regarded her with a blank stare for a long moment. "I don't get it. I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but whenever I see you around here you always look like you're about to jump out of your own skin from fear. But you don't seem the tiniest bit scared by the fact you got attacked by a wolf last night."

"He didn't attack me," Naminé said, frowning at the blond boy. "He just growled a little after I touched him. I just don't understand why he's not free." Naminé pushed herself to her feet and stared at the ground. "Thank you, Roxas, for your concern, and your kindness, but I don't think the wolf is what I need to be afraid of."

He stared up at her, his mouth dropping a little. Then he laughed a little, nodding, and rising to his feet. "You're right," he said, his gaze gloomy despite his smile. "There are worse things to fear."

* * *

><p><em>I didn't actually realize the similarities between some of this and Pirate of the Caribbean until someone pointed it out, and Ven being a blacksmith was just a coincidence. I've had a lot of Gendry Waters feels lately, sooo.<em>

_AQUA IS BACK. Praise the lord. I enjoy her story, and it's about to get more interesting._

_I'm trying to remember what I wanted to say. Oh, White Knight. Still not feeling it. I feel like it's half writer's block, half fear. Idk._

_You know, I just want to know some shit about Frozen. You know, the Disney movie based off The Snow Queen, 2013? All I know is that Kristen Bell is playing... probably Gerda? I think Gerda._

_Can I just express my excitement for this story? I mean, I haven't finished reading The Snow Queen yet (forgive me, I haven't had the time!), because it's kind of really long and stuff, but I know what happens, basically. It's nice that we're going to have this flip-flopped situation where the guy is in distress for the majority of the time, and the girl, who's just a normal little girl, saves his ass. Also I like that the villain is the titular character. I hope Disney does well, like they did with Tangled. People are afraid that they'll modify it like they did The Little Mermaid, but I think that's really invalid? The Snow Queen has a happy ending. Why the hell would they change anything?_

_Not prepared for the Red Wedding on GoT either. I'm assuming it's called the Red Wedding because of blood? It probably has a double meaning. _

_Someone is going to die, oh god. I wonder who it is..._

_-Dani_


	7. Something Blue

**{something blue}**

Aqua stared at Rosso blankly, the flowers she'd bought slipping from her fingers. She'd gotten changed hastily, and she hadn't bothered with the kerchief. She had no expression as the long-faced redhead twirled around, a cruel smile gracing her features.

"You like it?" she asked, the pale blue silk looking frighteningly out of place against her crimson hair.

"You went into my room." Aqua stepped forward, her boots squeaking. She hadn't bothered taking them off. She didn't care too much at the moment.

"Well _you _are not wearing it." Rosso smirked, her accent making her voice coo sharply. This tone made rage flare inside Aqua, the tip of the iceberg of hatred that was building inside her. That was her mother's dress! No one was allowed to touch it! Aqua felt like she could run her stepsister down right there with nothing more than a kitchen knife.

That thought went away quickly, but it didn't quench her wrath. Aqua clenched her hand into a fist. "Take it off," she hissed, her eyes glued to Rosso's face as she danced closer to Aqua, her face revealing her intentions to tease Aqua until she broke.

"What?" Rosso asked, her accent warping the word. "Does it not look good on me?"

"Take it off," Aqua repeated, her voice lower this time. She sounded like Calder.

Rosso simply scoffed and whirled away from the girl, as if she'd gotten bored. Aqua was trembling with fury, and she slid in front of Rosso before she could bat an eye. Her fist landed on Rosso's cheek with a tell-tale _smack_, and the redhead reeled in shock, stumbling away. She didn't bother to cup her cheek, to her credit. She simply stared at Aqua, dumbfounded, as a faint purple welt already began to swell on her skin.

Aqua's fist throbbed a little, but she ignored it. Rosso's eyes suddenly flared, and she let out a scream of frustration. She dove at Aqua, and the girl slid to the side, startled by the action. Rosso swung at her, and Aqua watched with mild awe as a fist came frighteningly close to her face. She reached up and snatched her stepsister's arm from the air, hooking her own arm around it, and twisting it around to her back.

"You little bitch!" Rosso cried, and Aqua scowled, pushing her hard against the floor.

"Takes one to know one," she murmured as Jihl came running into the room. Aqua stepped aside as the woman rushed to her daughter, asking if she was hurt and what not. Then the woman's eyes flashed to Aqua.

"What have you done?" Jihl gasped, helping her daughter to her feet. Aqua tilted her head, her anger not quite gone.

"Only what she deserves," Aqua spat, crossing the room in three long strides. She attempted to move past her stepmother, but the woman grabbed her arm. Aqua tried to yank it back, but Jihl's nails dug deep into her skin, and the girl met her cold gaze with a suddenly frightened one. "Let me go!"

"Did you have fun hurting my daughter?" Jihl asked as Aqua struggled, shrinking like a child under the woman's scrutiny. "Did you get a thrill, girl?"

"No, I—" Aqua squeezed her eyes shut, shame filling her. She was strong, yes, but she had no right to strike Rosso. She didn't deserve it, not really. Aqua had just been blinded by anger. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"You didn't?" Jihl laughed, and Aqua cringed. "Oh? Perhaps I should've left you to the faeries all those years ago, you're much too versatile."

"You were kind," Aqua croaked. Sometimes she thought perhaps she should have too. It wasn't like she was wanted anywhere, except maybe in the bookshop, or with Terra. But even then, no one would notice the absence of Calder, or at the least no one would care for more than a week or so. Aqua disappearing meant even less. No one even knew her name besides Terra and her stepfamily. She should've been taken by the faeries years ago, as a sacrifice, or a snack. She was a mistake.

"Too kind, it seems." Jihl sniffed, and Aqua stared up at her. She tore her arm from the woman's grasp and stomped off.

No one was going to make her feel like this. Aqua was strong, and she knew it, and she _would not_ be treated as if she were less than nothing.

* * *

><p>Ven ended up buying a fresh croissant with the coin Aqua had given him, and he kept it folded in the paper the baker had given him so it did not burn his fingers. His mouth watered by just staring at it, and he tried to remember the last time he'd had warm food. He found he couldn't, and with this thought, he went running down the street, turning fast and running some more. His violin bounced at his hip, as did his bow, which was clipped to his pants.<p>

Ven had three pairs of clothes. The clothes he ran away in, which was what he was wearing now, the clothes that had been given to him by a kind imp years ago (and they were not fit for a normal human atmosphere), and the dress clothes that he'd gotten for when he had to look presentable. They were drying out in the sun right now, nearly ruined by the salt water from the previous night. Luckily it would be in descent condition by that night, so he would be fine.

His shoes pounded on the wooden boards of the dock as he ran down it. There were some fishermen around, but all of them seemed to be boarding ship. That was fine by Ven, because he needed to be alone. He sat down carefully at the edge of the pier and set down his breakfast carefully. He reached down to his bow, his hand finding the grip of his sword, and he twisted it. It clicked and came loose from the scabbard.

He whistled to himself as he pulled the thin sword back. "_It's the wind of the open sea that's singing, badaboom, baboom, baboom, boom…_" he sang these words softly as he let the sharp tip of his sword puncture the skin of his thumb.

Ven sheathed the sword, gazing at the bead of blood that bubbled up after a short moment of the small wound breathing air. He leaned over the water, lowering his hand as far as he dared, and he squeezed his injured thumb. He chewed on his tongue, pain jolting his hand, and he saw three droplets of blood fall into the ocean. Ven pulled back and sucked at his thumb, wrinkling his nose as the thick, metallic taste filled his mouth.

"Kairi, daughter of the sea," Ven said to the wind. "Come find me."

And then he sat back and waited. He peered at his blood, which had made a strange red disturbance in the water. Certainly three drops of blood were not enough to stain three feet of water, but alas, there beneath his slowly swinging feet was a patch of murky scarlet.

She appeared from the blood within a few minutes, the patch dispersing the moment her face touched the surface. She stared up at him, her large blue eyes blinking at the brightness. "You called?" she asked, looking scarcely amused. Ven grinned at her until he noticed the angry red burn that ran across her neck.

"Gods!" he cried, pulling his legs up so he could lean over the edge. "Kai, your neck!"

"I know," she sighed, raising her hand to touch the burn. Her fingers were red and blistered as well.

"What happened last night?" Ven asked, grabbing the croissant and unwrapping it. He split it in two, steam raising to his nose, the fluffy inside of the pastry still hot from the oven. Ven handed the other half to her, and she stared at it for a moment before grabbing at it with eager hands.

"I took that pretty human boy to the beach," Kairi said nonchalantly, nibbling on the edge of the pastry. "And then I got attacked by some glamoured man. His sword was iron."

"You think Sora's pretty?" Ven asked curiously through a mouthful of croissant. "Aw, Kaaai!"

"No?" she asked, frowning up at him. "You're not going to hand over some of your wisdom about faeries? Tell me why a glamoured boy was protecting a human?"

"Uh." Ven chewed and swallowed. "You might be forgetting that if we're going to get into specifics, you're a faerie too."

"Yes, but mermaids are a different breed altogether from the landlings!" Kairi gobbled up the last of her half, and Ven watched her silently. "We're too far away from the courts to live under their jurisdiction. Merfolk own the sea as much as dragons once owned the sky, as dire wolves owned the forest, and as faeries own the humans."

Ven's eyes flashed to Kairi's face, and he sat up straight. "Faeries do _not_ own humans," he said darkly, his expression hard. "Humans are not cattle, Kairi. The Fair Folk do not understand how powerful we can be."

"I didn't mean to insinuate that humans are weak," Kairi said, taken aback. "I love humans!"

"You say that," Ven said, standing slowly. "And I want to believe it, Kai, you know I do. But you know I can't."

"Why?" Kairi gasped, her eyes widening. Rivulets of water slid down her face, and for a second Ven thought they were tears. He knew better, though. "Because I'm not human? You can't trust me because I can't stand up, or even stay on land for longer than a few minutes? Ven, that's not fair!"

Ven shook his head. "Kai, you _know_ that's not it!" Ven groaned and ruffled his hair in frustration. "I'm sorry! Look, you're a faerie. I've lived long enough to know that even faeries that are your friends can't help their nature. You're a mermaid, Kai, and mermaids are cold-blooded murderers more often than not!"

"Don't lump me in with the rest of them!" Kairi cried, her teeth baring in her wrath. They'd all become jagged and pointy, protruding from her gum in layers of tiny razors. "I've never killed anyone!"

"I know, I know!" Ven wondered if he'd be able to save this for him, but he knew he went too far by comparing her to the rest of the sirens. "I'm just saying that you… you can't feel like humans feel. We have free will, while faeries… you're bound by your wills."

"So what?" Kairi looked feral, though her beauty was still intact, it was warped. She looked like a deadly flower. "We can't help the way we were created. We were sired from magic and words, so of course we are bound to magic and words! We say an oath, and we never break it."

"That goes for what you are as well, Kai, and you know it." Ven looked uncomfortable, but he did not soften the truth for his friend. "You can't deny that some part of you has a hunger for human flesh, no matter how much you're attached to our kind. I've done my research, and mermaids were bred on the dark sorcery of old, and gods know that magic is all blood and night."

"I _don't_ eat humans," she growled, sinking downwards and cover her mouth with water.

"No, but you might," Ven said quietly, not looking at her face. "If you got a taste for it, you'd like it. I know you, Kai, I know that you're kind, and sweet, but I also know that you've come close to killing before."

"That was…" But Kairi's voice grew faint as she stared up at him, and she knew he was correct. Once she had almost slain a fisherman, and afterwards she could not even recall why she had attempted it. Ven had pulled her off the man before she could sink her teeth into him, but that wasn't the point. She'd almost done it. She'd almost killed and eaten a man.

"One time, I know." Ven watched her curiously. "Kai, I love you. I really do, you're the coolest mermaid ever! But I know magical creatures like ya wouldn't believe, and I know that mermaids can't feel love. At least not like we do. Perhaps lust is a better word, or severe attachment, but…" He sighed, and he looked sad that he had to tell her this.

Ven was not the kind of person to sugarcoat the truth. He told people as it was, and he did not spare feelings. He always apologized after, but he never took it back. He would say, "The truth hurts, and sooner or later it's gonna sting, so might as well do it before the wound festers."

Kairi did not want to deal with this. She shook her head, her sadness turning her mind numb, and she turned, diving down. Her tailfin splashed water into Ven's face, but he said nothing. As much as he enjoyed Kairi's company, it seemed both of them seemed to forget sometimes what she was.

It pained him to see her hurting by his words, but they both had to face it sometime. Kairi came from a world were humans were snacks. She lived in a body that was too cold to feel real love, and she was only lying to herself when she spoke of these emotions.

Ven was not making a mistake. If she never talked to him again, he'd understand. But there were things that had to be said, especially in a world like theirs.

* * *

><p>Aqua sat at the edge of her bed, not quite believing the circumstance. Her stepmother had let her run up to her room, and then she locked the door, causing Aqua to panic and scream for help. None came, and the sun dipped lower and lower into the sky, and Aqua felt utterly trapped. Rosso hadn't even been hurt badly! Aqua could've done worse, and yet…<p>

She shook her head and flopped onto her back. Her bed was hard and uncomfortable, but it still felt homely. She stared at her ceiling, her long blue hair splaying outward, and she felt a horrid sinking feeling as she thought of Terra. He'd be waiting for her, and she was stuck here…

She had always thought she was stronger than this. But now she realized she was still just a girl, a child, helpless to the way the world worked. Servant girls didn't go to balls, and they certainly didn't join the army. Servant girls did what they were told, and held their tongue, and pretended like they were some part of the décor around them.

But then Aqua remembered something.

She wasn't just a servant girl. She was Aqua, and she could fight a knight and beat him if she tried hard enough, and she could read better than some noblemen, and she wasn't just some peasant serving girl. She told herself that she _was_ strong, and that she could get out of this mess if she pleased.

She curled up into a ball on her bed, and she breathed deeply. She could get out of this mess, she told herself. But not today. Today she'd face the punishment. She should not have hit Rosso, no matter how angry the girl had made her. So Aqua was going to let this night pass by, and she's apologize to Terra later, and perhaps they could go dancing some other time.

Aqua bolted up straight as the dim room filled with a bright yellow light, a sporadic shower of sparks drowning her room and blinding Aqua momentarily. She covered her eyes and flung herself blindly from her bed, knocking into the trunk that had held her mother's dress. She felt her footing fail her, and she reached around to grapple at something, but she had already landed painfully in the puddle of silks and satins. Her head had hit the top of the trunk, and it took Aqua a few moments to see normally again.

"That was smooth!" shrieked a shrill feminine voice from across the room. Aqua pushed herself out of the trunk containing her mother's old clothes, and she blinked into the darkness. The sun was nearly gone in the sky, and the person before her was nothing but a shadow against the wall.

"Who are you?" Aqua asked warily, backing toward the oil lamp she'd left on a hatbox. She snatched it, listening to the oil swish inside it, and she pulled out her packet of matches from a box of dolls. She eyed the shadow, who seemed to be watching her in the darkness, and she struck the match.

Light spilled across the room, setting a flickering yellow hue across all the cluttered junk. Aqua squinted as the light hit a metal object to her right, and she saw a rusty fire poker Jihl had discarded years before. Aqua lit the wick carefully and blew out the match, holding up the lamp so she could see the stranger's face.

She nearly dropped the lamp in shock. "You're…" Aqua gasped as the woman neared her, her face long, and sharp, her eyes too large for her head, and her lips too full, and her nose too pointy. Against the light she looked vicious, like a snake had taken human form. Her hair was short, slicked back so her angular face could be more prominent. Two strands hovered above the norm, bouncing as the woman stood face to face with Aqua.

"Oh, you've got it already, don't you?" Her eyes were green, and they glittered like emerald jewels against the firelight. Aqua stood still, her legs not bidding her to move. She felt her heart pounding, and she realized she was scared to death. "You know what I am, right, blue-babe?"

"I've heard stories, but…" Aqua's voice was faint. She'd always thought herself brave, but now she felt like a child again. It was almost like she could remember that day years ago.

"But you never thought a faerie'd come for you?" The woman sighed loudly, and dramatically. "Oh, I know, I know, all faeries are so _cruel_ to humans. That's what you think, right?"

Aqua watched as the woman plopped down on her bed, crossing her legs, and grinned wickedly. She was wearing something akin to a tunic, but it was tight around the bodice. Long leggings made of what appeared to be deep crimson leaves made it down to her ankles, where a pair of curled silken slippers kept her feet comfortable.

"That's what I've always been told," Aqua said finally, when she was done trying to figure out the woman's appearance. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about it, but her gaze made Aqua's skin crawl.

"And who told you that all faeries are bad?"

"My father was killed by a faerie," Aqua said icily, and she snatched the fire poker up into her left hand, brandishing it out like a sword as the woman jumped to her feet.

She stared at the iron thing, and she gave a drawn out laugh, the faux sweetness of it settling oddly in Aqua's stomach. "Oh, you're a smart one!" she cried, her eyes blazing brighter than the fire. "I like you, Aqua."

"Who are you?" Aqua asked again, this time with courage keeping her voice from trembling. "Why are you here?"

"I won't tell you my name," the woman said with a poisonous smile. "If you know as much about faeries as you appear to, you should know why. But I'm here for the simple purpose of making your dream come true."

"I don't believe you." Aqua had lived her life with the understanding that faeries were bad, the worst of the worst, and they could not be trusted. "I don't need a faerie to make my dreams come true. I can make my _own_ dreams come true."

"And you've been doing a _marvelous_ job so far, blue-babe," the woman commented dryly, eyeing the poker with a frown.

"I don't need a faerie to tell me my life sucks," Aqua said with narrowed eyes. "I know, and if I wanted to leave, I could."

"You want to leave, and you don't." The woman clicked her tongue, and tilted her head. "Why?"

"Why do you care?" Aqua hissed, her arm cramping. She wasn't used to using her left hand. "Why should a faerie care about me? I'm grown now, I'm no use to you."

The woman rolled her eyes, and she gave another laugh, this one short and scoffing. "You humans and your superstitions. Oooh, faeries only go after the _small_ ones!" She let out a peal of laughter, and her words made Aqua shrink a little. She felt stupid.

"So, what then?" Aqua asked furiously, setting the lamp back on the hatbox and flipping the poker to her right hand. Her left arm ached a little. "What do you want with me? You can't sacrifice me, I'm too old."

"That, I must admit, is correct," she sighed loudly and placed a hand on her hip. "You're much too old. Anyway, I'm not here to hurt you, and I don't intend on harming you. Put that thing down."

Aqua knew that faeries couldn't lie, but she was still wary of the woman. She gave her a nagging feeling of dread and loss. But Aqua felt she had no choice but to let the poker slide from her fingers. It clattered onto the floor.

"Good. Now, do you want to go to the ball?"

"Why do you care?" Aqua repeated, this time her voice was hollow.

The woman sighed in exasperation. "I'm only doing this for your wellbeing!" the woman cried. "You'll be better off going to this ball, trust me, you're life will change in a way that will awe you."

"I don't trust faeries," Aqua said quietly. "Simple as that. Please leave."

"Wow," the woman said snidely, looking Aqua up and down. The girl was wearing nothing but the rag dress she always wore when she did housework, and her boy-boots. "That's it, huh? You're just gonna be some bitch's servant girl for the rest of your life?"

"That's up to me." Aqua folded her arms across her chest, feeling self-conscious. "Please leave."

"It's not up to you, stupid!" Aqua cried out as the woman moved swiftly toward her, faster than humanly possible, and grabbed her by the arm. "Look at you! You think you're as tough as they come, don't you? Just because you can use a sword descent enough, and you dress like a man on occasion? You wouldn't know tough if it struck you down with a lance. All you do is follow stepmother's orders, and you never try to get away. You're pathetic!"

Aqua gasped as she was flung across the room, and she landed rather painfully on a ironing board and a box of old silverware. She hadn't been expecting that. She thought she'd be ready for it, but she wasn't, and now she was laying sprawled on her floor, her head ringing, and she realized there was no fighting the faerie. She was stronger than Aqua, faster than Aqua…

And she made Aqua feel miserable. All the girl wanted was for the blonde faerie to leave, and for peace and quiet to come at last. She had no urge to fight now. But there was only one sure way to get rid of the pest, and Aqua didn't like it, not in the slightest. Still, as the ringing stopped, and Aqua sat up, she felt nothing but an aching that reached deep into her bones.

"Fine," she said in a hoarse voice. "Fine, I'll do it… on one condition."

The faerie was over Aqua in a moment, her large green eyes gleaming in the darkness. She grinned and nodded. "Name it," she said, her expression filled with glee.

Aqua rose to her feet, her face going blank. She watched the faerie with a silent contempt. "Your name," Aqua said crisply. "Tell me your name, faerie. Not all of it, of course, but let me know enough of it so I know what to call you by."

The faerie's face fell fast, and Aqua felt a certain pride in her choice. Faeries were so protective of their names, it seemed fitting. The blonde gave a snort, and the air about her turned grim. She hadn't been friendly before, but now she was terrifying. She looked at Aqua with a gaze of hatred that made the blue haired girl shudder with fear.

"Larxene," the faerie spat, as if her name were nothing but a piece of something foul that had gotten caught in her mouth. "Wise little human. You're the worst off."

"What does that mean?" Aqua asked glumly as the woman placed two fingers beneath the girl's chin and lifted her head up, examining her face. "What are you doing?"

"First rule of the world," Larxene hissed, stepping back. She lifted a blue rose that seemed to have just materialized, and held it out between her forefinger and thumb. "Those who ask less live longer."

Aqua felt herself take the rose without any objection, and this shocked her. She was not this compliant, not with strangers. Jihl, maybe, but a faerie she'd just met? She stared at the blue thing, realizing that roses did not come in this color, at least none that she'd ever seen, and she cried out as the rose bloomed before her eyes. "What is—!" Her voice was drowned by an outpour of blue petals that erupted from the stem and enveloped her.

When the flower petals fell, dropping around Aqua and shriveling at her feet, the girl stood dumbly for a moment. Then she looked down. She swallowed a gasp, and she ran her fingers over the satiny fabric of the deep blue dress that had appeared from nowhere. She felt beads across the skirt, and the bodice was tight, woven in a twisting blend of the midnight to midday sky. Her sleeves were tight, laced up with some kind of translucent string, and the swirling bodice crawled over her shoulder, wrapping around her right arm.

"What did you do?" Aqua croaked, feeling idiotic asking all these questions. But she simply didn't know.

"I made you look presentable to go to a ball," Larxene said in a bored tone. "You like it?"

Aqua rose her hands and felt her hair. It was curled around her face, but most of it seemed to be half loose, and half in a twisting braid. She felt her face, and her fingers twitched against the cold mask that was stuck onto her skin, Aqua panicked for a moment, and she tried to pry it off.

"Hey, hey!" Larxene cried. "Don't break that! It's glass!"

That made Aqua stop trying to get it off. She ran her hand of the bumps and crevices in her glass mask, realizing it must be an intricate thing. She let her hand fall. "Thank you…" Aqua said, her voice failing her. "I…" But Aqua couldn't say anything more. She stepped forward, and paused at the clinking noise. Carefully, she pulled up the hem of her dress and stared.

"You gave me glass shoes too?" Aqua asked, her voice nothing but a thin monotone. "You're trying to permanently disfigure me, aren't you?"

"Be still my heart!" Larxene shrieked, her hand clapping over her breast. "The clever girl strikes again! Yes, those slippers would undoubtedly break beneath any normal girl… but, Aqua, you're not a normal girl, are you?"

Aqua felt dumb, and frightened, and she stared at the faerie with cautious eyes. "I don't know…" she murmured. Her door unlocked, and Aqua gazed at it with growing unease. "I don't think so."

* * *

><p><em>Bless, I just can't get enough of this story. I'll tell you why. It's all medieval, but not COMPLETELY medieval, so since my writing is influenced by what I watch and read, EVERYTHING is ASoIaFGoT. Adding that to the list of reasons why White Knight isn't being written. It doesn't give me GoT feels. And I can't write GoT fanfiction until I read A Dance with Dragons, because I'M REALLY WEIRD LIKE THAT OKAY?_

_This chapter was fun. This whole story is fun. The main plot should be starting soon, and I'll try not to give you any fillers. I'd rather just move right into the plot, and see how much of this story I can get done in the summer._

_VALAR MORGHULIS ON SUNDAY. _

_ha ha oh my gosh all men must die on sunday that's just_

_I wish I could say Valar Morghulis, how do you even pronounce that?_

_-Dani_


	8. Brief Meetings

**{brief meetings}**

"I don't want to go," Naminé whispered as Roxas led her by the hand onto the dock. He'd visited her again after she'd gotten dressed, presenting her with a lovely mask made of white flower petals, sewn together with a thin red string. He didn't know what to do with her hair, so he got Axel to come in and help. She still wasn't sure what exactly they had done, but her hair was at least off the ground now.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking earnest. Naminé didn't know whether she believed him or not, but he was the only one who didn't seem to want to see her tied to the mast. He was nice, too. He never got too close to her, or made her feel uncomfortable, and she was actually beginning to sort of enjoy his company. "But you don't have to worry. It ain't such a big deal, and he's only taking you so you'll stop moping."

"I don't mope…" she murmured, flushing in embarrassment. Roxas glanced at her and laughed, turning his head to stifle it with his hand. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're lying?" Roxas shook his head and let her hand fall back to her side. She turned to look at him, and he nodded in approval. Her dress was white silk, so thin that she needed to wear another dress under it to keep herself veiled. If one looked close enough, there were faint flowers embroidered along the skin of the dress, hugging her waist and crawling up her chest. It was sleeveless, and Naminé felt a chill as the wind brushed her bare shoulders. She didn't believe she'd ever worn anything so revealing before.

"I don't lie," she said with a shrug. "I'm no good at it."

"Well, that's fine," Roxas said, "but you can't deny that you aren't exactly channeling sunshine."

"That's not fair." Naminé frowned, and she added in her mind, _The circumstances don't really allow it, and you're not one to talk! _But she was too frightened to say something so bold, so she simply hunched her bare shoulders, and touched her hair absently. It was done in an odd half bun that was gathered at the back of her head, made of three braids. A fourth braid wrapped like a crown around her head, leaving her forehead bare, and a fifth braid, this one very small, wound slimly around her loose hair that ran all the way down her back.

She could not understand how Axel had done it, and when she'd asked how he'd learned such an art, the man merely smirked.

"Life isn't fair," Roxas said quietly. "It's only right that you learn now. It'll save ya pain later."

Naminé glanced down at herself, and she gathered her skirt in her hands and swished it around dazedly. "Roxas, Axel said the crew is cursed," she said slowly. "That I'm cursed too. What did he mean?"

Roxas blinked, and he gave her a strange look. "Hell if I know." He shrugged. "And you're not cursed, don't listen to Axel. If anything, you're the most human thing on the ship."

"We're all human, though…" Naminé felt confused, and stupid. She was sure Roxas was lying, but she didn't understand his words. They made no sense to her. "I'm sorry, I don't really understand what you mean."

Roxas waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind." He screwed up his face for a moment as he frowned, and then he smiled. "He should be out soon."

"Why is he taking so long?"

"Vanitas generally believes that the world will wait for him through hell and terror, so he takes his sweet jolly time."

"Is that why the ship is called the _Jolly Rodger_?" Naminé asked curiously. It seemed Naminé was always curious.

Roxas laughed again and shook his head. "I actually don't know why it's called the _Jolly Rodger_," he said with a tap of his chin. "Don't think Vanitas named it, else it'd be _Void Harbinger_, or something like that!"

"Sounds nice," Naminé said distantly. She wondered what 'harbinger' meant. "When we come back, what do you supposed we'll do?"

"Sail?"

"Where?"

Roxas watched her for a long moment, his blue eyes scanning her face. He seemed unsure. "It really depends," he said finally. "We never have a set course unless Vanitas has a plan."

"He doesn't have a plan?" Naminé thought that Vanitas was being a very stupid leader. She kept this to herself.

"Well…" Roxas sat down at the edge of the dock, while Naminé was left to stand awkwardly. Axel, the fashion expert that he pretended to be, warned her not to do anything that might ruin the dress. It was so thin, it could fall apart if it was damp enough. "It's hard to explain."

"Can't you try?"

"No, he can't." Naminé spun, her skirt swirling at her knees, and she stifled a shout. Vanitas looked as he normally did, with a slight difference in his clothing. He wore that wretched mask, and in the gleam of the sunset, she could see her pale and frightened face reflecting back at her. "Roxas, get back on the ship."

Roxas glanced up at the captain, his eyebrows raising. He glanced away, his eyes flashing to the horizon with something like fear, and he scrambled to his feet. "Pardon, captain," Roxas said, nodding curtly to him. He gave Naminé what she assumed was a reassuring pat on the head, and he then he left. She stared after him sadly, feeling very lonely all of a sudden. She couldn't recall anyone ever treating her quite like Roxas had treated her.

Vanitas took Naminé by the arm and led her off the dock and onto the road. She followed hastily, her heels clicking against the stone. "If you try to run, you'll regret it," he warned her as he attempted to make his hold on her look more casual, and less like he was kidnapping her.

"I won't run," she mumbled, awkwardly twining her fingers with his. His fist was clenched so tightly around her small hand, she had to turn her face away so he wouldn't see her cringe. "I'm no good at running anyhow."

"Any_way_," he corrected, and Naminé glanced up at him sharply. "Dimwit, you aren't a pirate, speak like a lady."

"_You're_ a pirate," Naminé said blankly. "Why do you speak proper?"

"Properly," he corrected again, his head jerking down at her. "Who taught you how to speak, a plebe?"

"Why does it matter…?" She'd actually only recently picked up this way of speaking, thinking that she'd simply been doing it wrong for years. It wasn't like she'd ever met anyone aside from Larxene to teach her street talk.

"You are a lady, kitten, so act like one. No one will take you seriously if you talk like you just came off a pirate ship, so pretend like you didn't, and be a lady."

_How_, she wanted to ask. _How do I do that_? But she kept herself silent, and walked onward.

* * *

><p>"You look like a fool." Xion grinned, her smile stretching behind her crawling black-lace mask. It felt itchy on her flesh, and she scratched at it constantly until Terra had grabbed her hands and reprimanded her. Terra had ended up fetching a handmaiden to redo Xion's hair, and it now curled loosely, the braid Terra had done still remaining.<p>

"Shut up." Terra scowled and shrugged. His armored arms chinked. As a knight, he had to dress the part, but he wasn't on duty, so he only donned the guards on the arms. The rest of him was a plain black doublet and dressy trousers. He didn't like to draw attention to himself.

"Why is it that I have to dress all nice and pretty, while you get to be all casual." This was untrue, the doublet was fancy enough to be considered formal, and he really didn't look as foolish as Xion felt. She was wearing a long red frock, sleeveless, with a high black lace collar that stretched over her shoulders. Needless to say, it was uncomfortable.

"You best not make me regret begging to mother to let you come," he grumbled, but Xion could see a smile. Xion rarely saw Terra unhappy, but perhaps he did that on purpose. He always had a smile for her, even when she could tell he was tired, or angry.

"You won't have to worry about me once Aqua comes," Xion said. "I'll sit like a good girl, and watch you two make lovey eyes at each other, and drink wine." Xion grabbed at a glass from a passing servant, and raised it to her lips to demonstrate, but Terra snatched it away quickly and carefully.

"No wine," he said sharply. "Drink water, or coffee, but nothing made from fruit."

Xion gave him a vexed look. "But _why_?" She wondered what she'd eat, if not fruit. Meat, she supposed, but she wasn't particularly interested in the roasted pig they were serving. Truthfully, she'd been planning on snatching an apple, or a pomegranate once Terra had left her alone.

"Because I'm your brother, and I'm asking you not to." He gave her a long look that reminded her of a puppy in some odd way, and she scowled at him. He won and she knew it. She'd feel too guilty to eat any fruit now.

"Well it's not like it's poisoned!" Xion huffed, brushing past her brother and moving toward the tables. Everyone was dancing and shouting now, and no one really cared for eating, so she found an empty table easily. The crowd was astonishing, and the noise was nerve wracking. She'd only heard Terra because they were standing near the outskirts of the party, and they'd been huddled together.

She sat alone for a while, tearing holes in the tablecloth with a knife. She'd began carving flowers into the wood when she saw a streak of white bolt past her. Looking up from her creation, she watched as a small girl, dressed head to toe in white, dropped to the ground a few tables away and crawled underneath one. Xion blinked and looked around. No one seemed to notice the girl aside from her, and the party went on. Laughs and screams and music melted together in a pulsating thrum.

Xion stood, dropping her knife onto the seat, and she drifted curiously to where she'd seen the girl disappear beneath the tablecloth. Someone caught her by the arm, and Xion turned slowly. A man, much taller than her, with a skinny torso and a long face watched her with eerie blue-green eyes. His hair looked almost like silver, cut to the ears and jagged, like it'd been done hastily.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice panicked. "Sorry, I did not mean to bother you, but I'm looking for someone."

Xion was at a loss. She didn't talk to people much, only really Terra. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out, and she felt a blush creep at her laced neck. The boy continued without her reply. "He's smaller than me, brown hair, really spiky? He's wearing a motley mask, like a fool, and it has a large smile on it." He stared down at her expectantly, and Xion thought back to when she'd been observing the party goers. She'd seen fool masks, a few of them, but none of them were motley. She shook her head, and his hand slid from her arm.

"Oh," he said, and then he walked off. Xion almost shouted to him, almost smacked him and called him rude, but he was not Terra, and so Xion put a farther distance between herself and the stranger.

She knelt down beside the table and pulled the cloth up. There she found the girl, hugging her knees to her chest, her eyes wide with shock. Xion managed a small smile. "Do you mind if I intrude?" she asked, watching as the girl's eyes darted around.

The girl finally looked Xion in the face and shook her head. Xion smiled wider and crawled under, letting the tablecloth fall behind her. The girl stared at her, her mouth agape, and Xion wondered if she had been crying. She couldn't imagine why else the girl would be curled up under a table.

"Are you alright?" Xion asked. The girl simply stared at her, her eyes bulging out as if Xion had said something horrendous. She nodded after a short moment. "Well, why are you hiding, then?"

The girl closed her mouth, and she looked away, squirming a little under Xion's gaze. "I…" Her voice was hushed, and Xion almost didn't hear her speak. "I wanted to get away from him. He didn't notice, so I thought maybe if I just got away from it all long enough to think, I'd…"

"You wanted to get away from who?" Xion didn't like the sound of this. Maybe she could get Terra to help the girl.

The girl stared at her for a long moment, her eyebrows furrowing. She shook her head fast. "No one," she said, "I'm sorry, I have to go. I shouldn't have left."

"No, wait!" Xion gasped, scrambling to catch her arm, or leg, or something to stop her, but she'd already slipped out from under the table.

* * *

><p>Aqua did not know what to expect when she stepped into the yard. The party was too big for the ballroom, and she could hear the roaring from a kilometer away. She'd walked, but she found she had no trouble with the glass slippers. In fact, it was easy, much easier than she'd expected. She stood at the gate, her fingers digging into her silken skirts, and she frowned. She didn't feel like herself, not at all. The faerie must have put a spell on her when she'd cleaned her skin and hair and made her look beautiful. She'd seen her reflection in a pond when she'd neared the gates. She looked too pretty to be human.<p>

Her slippers clinked against the cobblestone, and as she entered the throng, she felt eyes on her. This scared her immensely, and Aqua reached toward her hip, but she grasped nothing, and a crushing panic enveloped her. Everything was hot, and bodies pressed up against her as they moved in frantic motions. The song was too screechy for her ears, and the air seemed to be getting thicker and thicker.

She thought she'd have been sick if it hadn't been for the song that started up. It was a familiar, lilting tune that made her sway as she walked, and the crowd parted for her. She was sure it was a spell, but it felt strange knowing that people were noticing her, especially because she was usually so invisible. A violin whistled in her ears, and she smiled to herself. Everything was fine.

The song ended fast, and suddenly there was a boy before her, fiddle in hand, and a toothy grin on his face. "You clean up bloody _fine_!" Ven cried, and Aqua stumbled back, surprised by his sudden appearance. His bow was clenched tight in his left hand, and Aqua finally realized why he kept the sword hidden. In crowds like this, no one expected a weapon. It was clever.

"Thank you," Aqua choked out, still stunned to see him. He was wearing a mask made out of oddly shaped leaves, and his eyes glowed bright blue beneath the swarm of green. "You know, this is supposed to be a masquerade. If someone I only met once could recognize me so easily, who's to say someone else might not?"

Ven shrugged and slung his fiddle over his shoulder, where it bobbed on a strap, and he slid his bow into his belt. "I'm a rare breed, Aqua," he said with a broad grin. "I see what others don't. It's like a special gift."

"I'm sure." Aqua smiled, feeling better with the company of Ven. She didn't know him too well, but he was a friendly face in a sea of strangers. "Are you here with anyone?"

"Nah," he said with a shrug. "All my friends are really restricted. They're kind of not allowed here."

"You have friends in the north?" Aqua's eyebrows raised, but Ven simply smiled and nodded.

"I've got friends in weird places…" He trailed off, his eyes landing on someone behind Aqua. She blinked and tilted her head.

"Ven?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. His eyes flashed to hers, and Aqua stepped back. Terror gleamed on the surface of them, rippling like water. He shook his head fast, and spun around.

"I have to go," he gasped, disappearing into the crowd. Aqua stood still for a while, bodies bumping into her, and she was left to ponder what had spooked him so.

She didn't have to wonder long. A sharp tapping on her shoulder gave her the answer. She turned, her glass shoes clicking loudly, and she blinked at the boy who stood before her. He wore a shiny black mask that enveloped his entire head, and nothing of his face could be seen. Aqua felt a chill, and she took a short step back before she remembered her manners.

"Hello," she said, as loudly as possible over the din. "Did you want something, sir?"

"You could say that," he said, his voice low and void of emotion. Aqua swallowed her fear, telling herself that she was strong, and she smiled.

"Well, I'm all ears."

"Oh?" He sounded more amused now. "Gosh, that's nice to know. I know a guy who wears them around his neck."

Aqua must've given him a horrible look, because he walked right off after that. She watched him, feeling her fright melt into anger. What had the boy bothered her for? To scare her? It'd worked, and Aqua hated that. She spun around and pushed through the crowd, hoping she'd find Ven again. After searching for longer than she should have, she found him applying ice to the bruised face of another boy, this one a brunet.

"I've been looking for you!" Aqua gasped, pulling up a chair and dropping beside him. Ven said nothing, but the brunet glanced at her, a smile gracing his fat, bloody lip.

"You look like an angel," he remarked, and Aqua leaned back, hoping her mask contained her shock. "Gods, Ven, is this that Kai girl?"

"No," Ven said, his mask keeping his expression even, but Aqua could see in his eyes that he was amused. "This is Aqua."

"Aw, no fair," the boy whined, pouting a little. "I want to meet Kai. Is she coming tonight?"

"No, she's kind of…" Ven looked down. "She's really mad at me right now. I said some dumb stuff that I shouldn't have, and even though it was true, I think I really hurt her feelings."

"You don't know how to speak to girls."

"And you do?" Ven laughed so loudly, Aqua couldn't believe this was the same person who had been terrified only twenty minutes before.

"What happened?" she asked, peering at the boy's face. His cheek was swollen, and growing purplish.

"Took my mask off to breathe," the boy said with a shrug. "I guess people just don't like my face around here. Luckily Ven found me, and we lost them."

Aqua gazed at the boy, at a loss for words for a few moments. When she opened her mouth to speak, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around fast, tensing up at the contact, but it was only Terra, or at least she believed it was. His face was plenty hidden, but the quirk in his smile gave it away. She relaxed a little.

"Where were you?" she blurted, pushing his hand off her.

"Looking for you," he said, his eyes looking her up and down, and he frowned. "You look different."

"Your investigative skills astound me, Terra," Aqua said sweetly, a bitter smile on her lips. "Have you ever thought about solving crimes? You'd be breathtakingly good at it."

"Wow, attitude!" Terra gave her a playful shove on the shoulder, and Aqua's eyebrows raised. She pushed him back, not as gently, and he stumbled back a few paces. "What has you all in a mood? You look nice."

"You don't like it," Aqua said with a sigh. "I know you don't."

"I never said that," Terra said with wide eyes. "You look _nice_."

"But you don't like it."

Terra groaned, and he shook his head. He looked toward the two younger boys, who were watching the show with amused gazes. He jerked a thumb to Aqua, who stood with her arms folded across her chest. "Do you see this?" he asked, huffing. "I have to put up with this every day."

"Sounds like fun." The brunet smiled, but it simply made him look even more out of it than he already was. Aqua wondered if he was concussed.

"It is when she doesn't hit me." Terra laughed, and Aqua glared at him.

"You hit me too," she grumbled, and he simply smiled wider.

"You're the only girl I'd hit, but that's only because you'd get angry with me if I treated you like a normal girl." He draped his arm around her shoulder and continued to smile at her discomfort. "Also, it's true, I don't know how I feel about how you look. It's strange. But I do like it, don't think I don't. I like you no matter what you look like. Do you want to know why?"

"You're probably going to tell me?"

Terra rolled his eyes. "I don't care what you look like, Calder. You're perfect all the time."

Aqua stiffened at his words, shocked and confused, and she glanced up at his face. He wasn't smiling anymore, and Aqua found herself very warm, warmer than she'd been when all those bodies had been pressed against her. She looked away quickly and shrugged his arm from her shoulder, her skin erupting in fire where his flesh had met hers. She didn't like this feeling.

"One day, Terra, you're going to find a person you can't flatter," Aqua murmured, feeling her blush fade. Her heart was beating hard.

"I don't flatter," he said. "I tell the truth as courteously as I can."

"Gods know you're courteous," she sighed. She turned back to the boys and smiled. "Anyway, sorry, this happens a lot."

"I enjoyed the show." Ven grinned, his eyes flashing between the two elder teens.

Aqua blinked at him confusedly as he turned his gaze elsewhere, leaning far over the side of his chair to get a better look. "What?" she asked, glancing at Terra. He shrugged. "Oh! Ven, this is Terra. Terra, this is Ven and…" Aqua looked to the brunet, who smiled brightly.

"Sora," he chirped, holding out a hand. Aqua took it carefully, and pulled back fast. The name sounded familiar. She blinked at Terra, whose jaw had gone rigid, and she nudged him. He looked down at her and shook his head.

"You shouldn't be here," Terra said, his voice solemn. "You're an idiot for showing up."

"You have not known idiocy until you've seen us drunk," Ven said, a lax smile on his lips, but Aqua could tell he was worried beneath it.

"Well, Terra's a pretty big idiot," Aqua said with a wry smile, "so I'd put my money on it."

"Aw, that's mean." Sora pouted, his bloody lip jutting out oddly. Aqua sat down beside him and shrugged, smirking up at Terra, who didn't seem to even notice the quip.

"I'm not kidding," Terra said darkly. "If you're caught here, you'll be thrown in jail."

"Do you know how many times I've been caught here?" Sora asked, his dazed eyes fluttering closed as he leaned back. "Well, not as much anymore, but when I was little I used to get caught all the time. Always too slippery for them to hold me though."

"I'll get him out of here once I find his pet," Ven said, his grin so wide, and his eyes so alight, he looked sort of unsavory.

"Pet?"

"My friend," Sora corrected, shrugging. "Ven doesn't like him too much."

"I like him fine," Ven said. "It's just fun to bother him."

"It's not nice."

"Well if he trusted me a little more, maybe I would ease up." Ven frowned and stood, his eyes stuck somewhere in the crowd of dancers. "Excuse me for a sec, Terra, Aqua." He bolted into the crowd, and Aqua turned to watch him.

"Strange kid," Terra muttered, his gaze still on Sora, who smiled lazily up at him. "Put your mask back on before someone recognizes you."

Sora blinked and obliged without comment, his fingers fumbling at the blue ribbons. Aqua moved closer to help him. "What's going on?" Aqua asked as she quickly knotted the ribbon. "Is he a criminal?"

"No," Terra said quietly. "He's… I guess you don't know much about our neighboring kingdom, right?"

"Only that war stuff in the history books, and some myths," Aqua said hesitantly, glancing at the boy in the motley mask. He was quiet now, and she was sure his bruises had inspired a headache.

"Yeah, we kind of hate each other. I don't know why, and I don't really care to know, but it's really dumb. We have a truce that only stands as long as we stay in our own kingdoms."

"So he's from the Skylands?" Aqua looked to boy and tilted her head. "In the books there's a legend that says they can fly."

"Legends say that we bathe in the blood of virgins," Terra said dryly, and Aqua waggled her eyebrows at him.

"I knew there was a reason your skin is so flawless," she laughed. She heard Sora laugh from behind his mask. "I'd like to see the Skylands…"

"You should come," Sora chirped. "No one would know you're from Red Bay. Plus you look like you're from one of the isles."

"Do I?" Aqua looked at Terra, and he shrugged.

"The hair," Sora said, reaching over and picking up a bouncy blue curl. "Distant relative to the Folk?"

"What?"

"The Fair Folk, he means," Terra said slowly.

"I know what he means," Aqua said, scowling. "I meant that I don't look anything like a faerie."

"Normal people don't have blue hair," Sora said, and she could almost hear him smiling. She wondered if he was drunk _and _concussed. He sounded so silly.

"No one's ever cared much before." Aqua looked up at Terra, who was glaring at Sora through his mask. "So who is he? A relative of the cloud king?"

"His son," Terra said, his voice still carrying the heaviness of solemnity. Aqua blinked and looked to Sora, who was rocking in his chair, his motley mask eerie in the flicker of lanterns, the smile too large for its sharp angles.

"You're a prince?"

"I guess," Sora yawned and stretched his arms. "Not a good one, I'll tell you. I'd run away and live on one of the isles if I could. Maybe the Isle of Sleep. I like sleep, and the people there aren't as drugged up as you'd expect."

"You've been to the isles?" Aqua gasped, her interest piquing. She almost forgot her courtesies. "I mean, my lord."

"You don't live in the Skylands, so you don't have to call me that." He laughed, and Aqua managed a weak smile. She'd never known anyone truly royal before, and she had no idea how to act. "And the isles… they're really something special. Nothing like it is here. People dance on the streets, and sell potions, and there are priestesses that sing hymns of magic."

Aqua stared at him through her glass mask, and as she did she tried to imagine it. In her mind, children played in the streets, and sang of mages of old, and some would make magic, and others would make words, and some would dance before a pond, before a weeping red tree, before a lake of ice.

The music of the party around her died, drowned by the sound of death drums.

* * *

><p><em>Party time. Woot woot.<em>

_I'm still puzzled over White Knight. I think I'm going to split this chapter, and work my magic a little better on it. Like, it's already ninty chapters. What's a few more? I won't update until I have all that done though. _

_So Game of Thrones is over until next spring, and I'm forced to deal with the spoilers I've been given. DID SOMEONE SAY AEGON TARGARYEN? The picture for him on the wiki page is super attractive. He looks like Riku, actually, 3D version. I can't wait for the show version of him, I hope he's as attractive as Harry Lloyd was with Viserys. Guys, Viserys might've been a monster, BUT HARRY LLOYD MADE HIM AMAZING. He's ten times less likable in the books just because we don't have that fabulous acting to make him seem human._

_Wow, guys, are we EVER going to meet these ominous faeries everyone is talking about? Why does Vanitas have Hook's ship, for realsies, water you doing, Dani? WHEN ARE THE TWEWY CHARACTERS COMING IN, DANI?_

_I amuse myself so easily, I can't take it. _

_I actually made a shitty map for this story, so I could keep track of places. I'd show you guys, but it's not too great, so..._

_-Dani_


	9. The Fairy Lullaby

**{the fairy lullaby}**

The sights and smells and sounds were intoxicating. Naminé thought she was prepared for this party, but the moment she stepped through the gate she realized she knew nothing. She could not think coherently with the strangled thrum of music pounding in her head, and she could not breathe properly with hoards of bodies pressing up and moving wildly against her. Everyone seemed to be having a blast, screaming and laughing and dancing. All except her, it seemed.

She'd almost talked to someone, for real, when she'd hidden under the table, but she'd gotten scared and ran. Vanitas was nowhere to be seen, and she wondered why he had taken her there. Why he was even there at all. She stood still, feeling confused and disoriented, and when someone grabbed her arm to pull her into a line of dancers, she shrieked and tore herself away.

Perhaps she was not made for human interaction. It seemed like the Tower she'd lived in had kept her body in a hard shell, and now that she was out in the world her skin was too tender to touch. She couldn't stand being too close to anyone, or else her skin would crawl uncomfortably. Sweat gathered around her spine, and she tried to distance herself from the dancers, desperate to find Vanitas and ask if they could leave.

Naminé froze for a moment as someone walked past her. She stared at him, her discomforts slipping away as he turned to look at her, his short silvery hair dancing around and slapping his ebony wooden mask. His eyes were glowing pools of aquamarine, shimmering in the torchlight. Naminé stepped back, her mouth opening as she tried to grasp why this boy captured her attention so abruptly. Something about him was odd, and familiar, like she'd met him somewhere before. She couldn't be sure why.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice splitting the music, and hitting her ears like thunder claps. She stared at him in awe. "I am terribly sorry to bother you, but have you seen a boy with a motley mask? He's shorter than me, brunette?"

Naminé did not trust herself to speak, so she shook her head, and the boy sighed and turned away. "Wait!" she cried, though she did not know why, and when he turned around she just stared at him. Suddenly she knew where she knew him from, and she swallowed her words when she opened her mouth. She couldn't say something so foolish. So when he stared at her expectantly, she simply shook her head and took her leave. She couldn't even muster an apology to the boy.

How did you tell a stranger you had dreams about them anyway? It was silly, but Naminé recognized him from her drawings on the wall. She knew what he looked like beneath the mask, and she could almost taste his name, but that was a bit too elusive, and it remained in the murky depths of her memory.

She stood at the edge of the dance floor, trying to catch her breath, and she stared down at her shoes in confusion and fear. She did not want to be here, and she did not want to hear this music anymore, and she just wanted to go back to the ship and sleep. She felt tears gathering in her eyes, and she shivered, gripping her skirt and feeling a bit of hair slip against her face.

Naminé jumped back as someone stepped into her direct line of vision, and she looked around wildly for someone, maybe Vanitas, to get her away. But no, nothing, and she was forced to stare at the stranger's masked face as he got nearer and nearer, invading her personal space.

"Hello!" he chirped, and for a moment Naminé simply gaped at him. She realized she knew him after she saw his eyes, and she blinked in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she gasped, stepping back and looking around frantically. She hoped now that Vanitas wouldn't see. "I thought Vanitas told you to stay on the ship."

The boy looked taken aback for a moment, but ease slid onto his face as he smiled slightly. "The worst he can do is flog me," he said with a sad smile. "Which he won't, because why should he? He left you all alone, and he really needs to learn how to take care of his toys."

"I'm not his toy!" Naminé snapped irritably. The ray of confidence slid away fast, and she flushed and sputtered. "I mean… I—I…"

"Don't worry!" Roxas shook his head and grinned. "I'm glad you think like that."

Naminé stared down at her feet, swishing her skirt nervously. She didn't want to look at his face. "Why are you risking getting beaten?" she asked in a small voice.

"I wanted to talk to ya."

She looked up at him, confusion knitting her features. "You could do that any time," she said slowly, her head pounding as music hummed in her ears. "Why now?"

He shrugged, and Naminé looked him over for the first time. He wasn't wearing the grungy white shirt and hole infested vest that he'd adorned that afternoon. Instead, he wore a sleeveless jerkin, the fabric so light it looked as if it were made of silk. It was black, though he wore a gray shirt beneath it. She also noted his mask seemed to be made of leaves.

"Couldn't you tell me later?" she asked, glancing around once more. "I don't want you to get hurt on my account."

"I won't," he said, shaking his head. "Don't worry. But it can't wait."

"It can't?" she asked distantly, frowning as he took her arm. "What are you doing?"

"The music's too loud!" he cried, dragging her away from the party, and as uncomfortable as it made her, it was a relief to be able to hear herself think again. Naminé saw an instrument hanging on a strap and bumping against his hip as he walked, and she wondered where he'd gotten it, or why he had it.

She stopped when they neared the gate, and he stopped with her. She bit her lip and pulled her arm from his grasp, taking a small step back. "If I leave he'll beat us both," she said softly. He turned to face her, and she noticed how sad he looked. He managed a smile somehow, and nodded.

"Yeah, sorry." He shifted awkwardly, his smile growing silly instead of sad. "But we're less likely to get caught here right?"

"I guess."

"Why'd he even bring you?" The boy wrinkled his nose. "He's not paying any attention to you, or nothin'."

"I don't know," she answered honestly, feeling dumb again. "I didn't have any choice. If I didn't put the dress on, he probably would've made you or someone to force it on me…"

Roxas looked uneasy for a moment, but he continued to smile, albeit oddly. "How old are you?" he asked, stepping back and looking her over. She stared at him, not expecting this question. For a moment she stood there, the music behind her still loud enough to feel in her bones.

"Fourteen," she said tentatively.

"You don't look it." He tilted his head, and eyed her up and down. "Betcha you could pass for a boy if you cut off all that hair."

"Excuse me?" Her eyes flashed with anger, and he looked surprised when she began to back away. "What does that mean? I'm not a boy!"

"Well that I can see!" he laughed, and she felt her anger grow. Why was he being so mean?

"Shut up!" she cried, spinning around. "You're not funny at all!"

"Whoa, wait!" he gasped, grabbing her arm as she tried to run off. He was faster than she'd expected, and she looked back at him fearfully. "I'm sorry, miss, I didn't mean nothin' by it."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her rage only increasing, and she felt her face grow hot with her fury. "You weren't so mean earlier! What is it you came here for, really? It certainly doesn't seem so important."

He whistled low as she seethed, and suddenly she broke out of her wrath, and she looked around wildly, fear enveloping her. "You've got a will of your own…" he said slowly, frowning at her. "Why does he want you?"

"What?" She couldn't have felt more confused. She hated the feeling, the helplessness and the empty feeling that captured her insides. She didn't want to be stupid, but it was who she was. She couldn't change her sheltered upbringing. "Shouldn't you know that?"

He was silent for a few moments, his blue eyes flickering away from her face. "He doesn't tell me everything," he said quietly. He looked up at her. "What happened with you and the wolf?"

"Didn't we already have this conversation?" she asked weakly, too tired to be angry anymore.

"Well, tell me again, please?"

She sighed and shook her head, pieces of her hair rustling. "I just spoke to it. I don't know what happened exactly."

"You didn't just _speak_ to him," Roxas said, his eyes bright with something she couldn't catch. "You commanded him. You reached out to him and he reached back. Why?"

"I don't know." She felt sick to her stomach. There was something strange about the way Roxas was behaving. "You should go back before Vanitas catches you."

"He won't," Roxas said quickly, his lips quirking. "Don't worry, he won't. Anyway, you have to know something about why Vanitas has you. He kidnapped you, right?"

She gave him a curious look. "Yes." He had been there long enough to know this, so why…?

Naminé jumped out of her skin when the dream-boy from earlier brushed past her, not even sparing her a glance, and he frowned down at Roxas. She stared at him with wide eyes, trying to find her voice to ask him why she'd subconsciously drawn him on her wall. But he was already speaking to the blond boy, his voice urgent.

"I have to go," he said, his voice strained. "Can you make sure Sora gets home?"

"I'm sorry," Roxas said, his blue eyes sparking with faux shock. "You actually _trust_ me enough to leave his princeliness to my skill?"

Naminé could not see past the dark wooden mask of the silver haired boy, but she could tell her was glaring down at Roxas icily. "If I did not believe you could do it, I would not ask," he said stiffly. "You're a fool, wind dancer, but you do seem to have a fondness for Sora. Though I'm sure there are things about you that would make him cringe to hear."

Roxas merely laughed, looking strangely delighted to simply be having a conversation with the man in the wooden mask. "I've heard things about you that would make him retch," he said with a silly grin on his lips. "I think it best if we keep pretending we're who we appear to be, and keep the past buried in the ground, where dead things best stay, aye?"

"You talk like a pirate." The tall man scowled, and Roxas's grin grew wider.

"And you talk like a bleeding posh lass, but I don't complain about your company none!" Roxas put a heavy emphasis on every word, and Naminé wondered if he was mocking the silver haired man with his funny words and gruff accent.

The man sighed, but she saw a hint of a smile tugging at his lips, and he nodded slowly. "You're a strange human," he said carefully, and then he eyed Naminé, as if he'd only just noticed her. "Though not nearly as monstrous as I assumed you to be."

Roxas seemed to pause at this, his smile dimming to something sad again. "You were right to assume," he said quietly. "All men are monsters." The man stared at him, moments ticking past, and he turned to walk toward the gate. His last words hung in the air long after he left.

"If that is true, than gods help you when the real monsters come." Naminé found herself shuddering, and her ears rang as she watched him walk away. She had things to ask of him, and now she feared she'd never see him again. She cursed her meekness, and she cursed her voice for not raising itself the moment she recognized him. And she cursed Roxas, who turned to her as she began to back away.

"Do you want to go home?" he asked, his tone easy, as if the past conversation with the silver haired man had never happened.

"Home?" Naminé had thought about it many times, going back to the tower, but every time she thought about it the more she realized she was better off where she was, even if that meant being scared and hurt. She couldn't live under a rock anymore, and she had to start acting brave. Even if she wasn't really. "I don't have one… not really."

He stared at her, and she noticed this shocked him, his mouth opening wide for a long while. She stared back at him, her eyes scanning his face, and she found that she simply didn't understand him. She thought it was silly that he was acting this way, but then she was probably acting silly too. She just didn't know.

"That's awful sad…" he said in a breathy voice, his eyes growing wide. She shrugged, and he continued to stare until she grew so uncomfortable that she shook her head and turned away. She was done talking to him.

He let her go for whatever reason, and she was grateful for that. She was tired, and she wanted to find Vanitas quickly to ask him if they could leave. Or perhaps she could find the boy who stowed away in her dreams again… but she wouldn't know what to say. So she stood at the edge of the dance floor and stared up at the lanterns, her gaze growing sadder and sadder as she realized how hopeless she was.

* * *

><p>She stayed very still as she listened to the sound of bells and chimes, the clap of music and drums, and she tried to smile to herself, but all she could think was that she'd never dance the way that girl danced. She pushed herself down under the water, trying to drown her thoughts, but that wouldn't work. The sea was a part of her, and because of that it did not muffle the music above.<p>

Kairi shook her head and swam. Sometimes she thought about peeking up and showing herself to the humans of the Arcanum, or the magiclands as Ven called them. Ven had taught her enough of the world to know few things about the earth.

Ven came from the lands that seldom used magic, the one that native Arcanumites called the Kingdom of the Sightless. For whatever reason, and Kairi was never sure why, but it seemed like the Arcanumites simply disliked the plain folk. The ones who did not practice spellbinding and witchcraft, or sing songs to the gods to appease them or to rile them. Kairi had no gods, so she couldn't know.

Ven said the Kingdom of the Sightless was split into three factions. The Heartlands, which resided to the south, getting so hot in some places it made the Isle of Scorch look as saturated as a freshly watered plant. The Skylands, the strange middle child of the Sightless land, who could almost touch upon the magic of Arcanum. Almost. And then there were the Wastelands, north and cool and ruthless. The Fair Folk tended to the Wastelands sometimes, and magic could be sowed in the cold, unfertile ground if need be. In fact, now that Kairi recalled the faeries, she remembered there was a Faerie kingdom near the northern shores of the Wastelands.

Kairi wanted to be an Arcanumite. To sing her songs of magic and dance with the tune, and cast spells and heal people. She wanted to live where she could tease Ven for not being magic-born, and hate the Sightless for not seeing what they were loosing.

She ignored Demyx as he swam toward her, choosing to be rude rather than face him. He'd just want to take her to her father. She did not want to see her father, not now, not ever.

"Kairi, wait!" he cried, swimming after her. "Please! I haven't seen you in days!"

_Just leave me be_, she thought. _I'm not a child anymore, I can do what I please!_

He chased her, and she fled, and she thought that it was more fun than she'd expected. She swam faster than she'd ever swam before, water parting as she zipped through the sea. She did not stop until the water felt startling cold, and the darkness around her was so deep that not even her second sight could cut through the thick of it. He'd stopped following her long before, for whatever reason, but she'd kept going. Ven's words still hurt her, and she thought maybe if she kept swimming she'd just melt into the sea. She could only assume she'd gone the wrong way, because she felt like her skin was coated with ice.

Kairi swam upwards, breaking the surface and wincing as the chilly air slapped against her face, making her skin ripple on reflex. It relaxed, and she looked around. There was nothing, she realized while biting her lip. She'd swam too far north, and there was no land in sight.

_East or west? _She debated this amongst herself for a small while, wondering why she even bothered to feel anything. She felt contaminated, her body squirming as emotions roiled inside her, clutching at her. East there were a few islands, a few places she could rest, and west…

North and west were the Wastelands. Kairi had heard tales about the faerie court there, and about the makeshift communities some Folk developed, but she'd never seen it for herself. She'd always been too preoccupied with spying on humans, and there were not many humans in the Wastelands, at least not near the shore.

So when she swam west, she wasn't sure exactly what she was doing or where she was going. She had never gone too close to faeries before, especially not faerie kingdoms. It wasn't that she was unwelcome, because mermaids were Free Folk, bound by water and magic, not by will and duty. As long as they didn't make a mess they were welcome in Faery. But she preferred to stay away from faerie courts because of their tendency to grow out of hand.

She'd only ever been to the Golden Court, which as it would happen was much nearer to civilization. She'd only gone once, and that had been long ago. So long, she was sure she had gone with her father to discuss some sort of business. She couldn't stand being anywhere near her father anymore, which was sad, but it wasn't like anyone cared nowadays. All her father did was nag, and he didn't care too much that she wandered as long as she came home and didn't interact with humans.

This was the first time Kairi ever had no intention of returning home. And as she moved swiftly into the narrowed seapath of the Silver Court, she found that she was forgetting herself in her haste. She did not know what she wanted, but there was something calling her to this place, this faerie palace that did not seem wary of mermaids in their floors.

When she broke the surface, the first thing she heard was music. Oh, she'd heard music before, but never quite like this. She thought that she could give her voice just to listen to it forever, and she melted in the lilt and croon.

She smiled dreamily as the words caught her in a trance. She began to sing along without thought, leaning up against the cold marble that was cut just so the ocean could lap at its sides, and she watched drunkenly as little men danced before her, bobbing their heads in admiration as her voice carried with the tune.

This was no spell she was singing, though it took her a bit to notice. The words she spoke were in the tongue of man. But she sang without hesitation.

"_'Tis there the fairy-court is holden,_

_Hush-a-by baby, babe not mine, _

_And there flow beor and ale so olden, _

_Hush-a-by baby, babe not mine, _

_And there are combs of honey golden, _

_Hush-a-by baby, babe not mine, _

_And there lie men in bonds enfolden, _

_Hush-a-by baby, babe not mine. _

_Shoheen sho, ulolo, _

_Shoheen sho, strange baby O! _

_Shoheen sho, ulolo, _

_You're not my own sweet baby—!_"

She blinked as a hand caught her jaw, ceasing her song, and yet the music continued. There were a plethora of whines and shouts, and Kairi almost began to sing again. That was when her chin was jerked upward, and she saw the face of the person holding her.

Kairi gasped, and tried to jerk back, the scars on her neck tingling at the sight of his face. "You!" she cried, wiggling to get out of his grasp. She was still half drunk on music, however, and he had dragged her onto the marble before she could even begin to fight him.

"Let the child sing!" hooted a drunken fae, raising his goblet to her from his seat on white glass. Kairi stared around, and she realized she was at a party of some kind. But Ven said there was a party every night at a faerie court.

"She will do no more singing," the boy said in a dark voice, and suddenly the entire hall was silent. Kairi thrashed against the marble beneath her bare flesh, the air cool enough for her not to feel completely uncomfortable, but she knew well what was coming if she did not get back in the water.

"If you're going to kill her, at least make her sing 'til she dies," said a pretty little faerie with a slim, childish face, and wide black eyes.

Fear chilled Kairi to the bone, and she squirmed even more under the boy's tight grip. "Please let me go," she gasped, staring pitifully up at him. He did not so much as smile.

"What are you doing here, siren?" he asked, his voice even. Kairi would have spat at him in defiance, anger rippling the skin of her arms, if it had not been for the fear crippling her. The emotion tore at her insides, but she did not care. She was stupid, she realized, and she was going to die for her idiocy.

But she gathered her courage anyway. "Is this a private party?" she asked, her voice bitter with her contempt and quivering with fright. "I never would have guessed, faerie-knight. I'd be very pleased to hear why _you _are at court, seeing as you serve humans."

She smiled as the hall roared with laughter, and a ghost of a blush tinted the boy's cheeks as he glared down at her. She noticed a strange, dark, face-like thing hanging around his neck, and she peered up at it curiously. It was fascinating…

"She's got you, Riku," a very tall man chuckled, slamming his mighty hand on the boy's shoulder. Kairi felt it rattle her brain, and she frowned at him. "You haven't been to court since the old Queen of Summer fell, and that wasn't even _your_ court."

"It _was_ my court, Snow," Riku said sharply, shrugging the hand from his shoulder. Kairi saw the man looked hurt. "Have you forgotten?"

The faerie man looked troubled, and Kairi squirmed some more, feeling desperate for water. "Not your natural court!" he objected, trying to smile as Riku shook his head. "Come on, man, how long has it been since you've been home? Twenty years? Thirty? When did that queen of yours strike at the Skyland boy?"

"I can't remember," Riku said with a scowl as he watched Kairi begin to pant, her neck craning to look at the water. "Probably forty years ago, give or take. I was in her service before that, though, and I know he deserved it."

"I'm not saying he didn't," Snow said as the music started playing again, and the interest in the dying mermaid and the human serving knight was lost. "But… hey, we were never like the rest of them, were we? We care about what happens to the humans. The king does too, believe it or not, maybe you should give him a second chance."

Riku's eyes flashed to Snow. "The king cares about humans? Snow, I might serve humans, but you can't fool me. This court is all war and bloodshed, and humans are just apes with a bit of wits to them."

"The king isn't the king you knew," Snow said, eyeing Kairi as she slumped feebly against Riku, her skin peeling a little. "Well, he's still a little crazy, but he knows how to put on a good show. Go see for yourself."

"I'm afraid I must," Riku sighed, tossing Kairi in the water. She blinked as she felt her strength come pouring back into her, and she moved to swim away. But Riku's arm was still tight around her arm, so she had no choice but to bob upwards. She stared at Riku, and he stared at her. "And what am I going to do with you?"

"Don't kill me," she said, her voice weak. "Please."

Riku rose an eyebrow, and Snow laughed loudly. "Riku isn't so without honor that he'd slay a defenseless little lass like you!" Snow cried, and Kairi touched the scars on her throat, glancing quickly at the silver haired man. She noticed that the glamour was gone from his face, and everything about him was severely more prominent.

"I don't think I believe that…" Kairi whispered.

"I don't blame you," Riku said, his eyes narrowed at her. "Now, I'm not unkind, siren. Sora confirmed that a girl with a lovely voice had saved him, a girl he's been calling Kai. If this is true, than I owe you a debt. If it is untrue, I will know by whether or not my will acts on its on accord. So, for this one instance, I am yours to command. What is it you want?"

This shocked Kairi still, and when Riku noted that she wouldn't swim away, he let go of her. She stared at him for a very long time, her mouth gaping, and she shook her head. "Anything…?" she whispered, wondering about what she wanted. When Riku nodded, and Snow smiled a little, Kairi felt a swell of hope inside her. _This is it,_ she thought. _Oh, gods, maybe…_

"_Anything_, lady siren," he said somberly, and it occurred to her that he might be expecting the worst. She didn't know how he'd feel about her request.

"Can you take me to see the king?" she asked, her voice soft. Riku looked surprised, as did Snow, but he nodded all the same.

"I am no knight of his, but I am certain he will hear you, if that is what you wish."

"It is," she said breathlessly. "More than anything."

* * *

><p>Aqua was dancing with Terra at the edge of the floor when the announcement was made. Terra had suggested they leave, but Aqua shooshed him.<p>

"I want to see this prince you're serving," she'd said while elbowing him in the chest. He stared at her and said nothing, looking like he was about to face the executioner's axe.

The music had died, as had the screaming and dancing. All eyes were on the queen, and Aqua couldn't help but think that she was incredibly beautiful. She felt someone by her side, and when she looked, a small girl with black hair was beside her, looking tired and confused. She was giving Terra an expectant stare, but he said nothing. Aqua smiled at her.

"You're Xion," Aqua said gently, and the girl nodded shyly.

"You're Aqua," she said, her voice soft and uncertain. Aqua smiled wider.

"I've heard so much about you, I'm sure I know you as well as Terra does."

"Maybe not," Xion sighed, looking up at the platform that the queen had chosen for her stage. She had guards on either side, which was expected from such an event.

"Aqua, we should go," Terra said quietly. Aqua glanced at him and frowned.

"Why?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He looked uncomfortable. "Nothing, not really…"

"Then why…?"

"You never told her, did you, Terra?" Xion asked, sounding sad. Aqua looked at her, her eyes scanning the round, tanned face of the girl.

"What didn't you tell me?" Aqua asked slowly, looking back at her friend. "Terra?"

"I…" He looked very frightened all of a sudden, and that made Aqua frightened. So she grabbed his arm and shook her head.

"Hey," she said, giving him a small smile. "If you really want to leave, let's leave."

"She's going to find out, Terra," Xion whispered, but Terra waved her off and pulled Aqua away.

The guards caught him just as the queen had said his name, and Aqua stood confusedly, not even sure what the queen had been talking about. "Terra?" she asked as he beat them off, barking orders at them that made them stand stalk still. She found that everyone was staring at them now.

"Let's go," he gasped, grabbing her hand. He turned to Xion, who was already at a table, twirling a knife in hand. He didn't notice the masked boy who approached her.

* * *

><p><em>Well that was fun. As usual, the song Kairi sings is an actual lullaby, because I'm not that talented. This one is an Irish one, and hell chapter namer. The song is actually called Fairy Lullaby. Wonderful thing to sing to your child. I don't know, it's about a woman who was kidnapped to be a wet nurse to a fairy child. I'm pretty sure it was created just to kill the myth that only children were stolen by fairies, though I'm pretty sure they were generally the most wanted.<em>

_I decided I need to start putting up the stash of chapters I have hidden away. I'm still three chapters ahead of this story, so I might update one more in a day or two just to put me on the track I was on with White Knight._

_Enjoy the insight on the Faerie Court? Guys, I can't tell you how much I love imagining those things, their so horrifically beautiful. Of course, my source material for most of this shit made faeries look like the most fucked up, morally gray sons of bitches out there, so I guess that's the only image I have. _

_Hey, Shanna? Doesn't TMI have faeries in it? Tell me on a scale of... mmm, Snow White to Elizabeth Bathory, how fucked up is their court?_

_i love faeries guys shut up_


	10. Mask of Flesh

**{mask of flesh}**

Xion had not expected the boy to sit across from her, nor did she smile when he leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. There was something eerie about the way he moved, the way he looked, the way he _existed_, and it made Xion want to run. Instead, she spoke.

"Who are you?" she asked dumbly, her hand falling to her lap. Her fingers tightened on her knife instinctively.

"Just a passerby," he said easily, his voice low and everything about him reeked of death.

"Are you?" Xion regarded him with a blank stare, but she got no reaction. The mask he wore bore her reflection on the shiny black surface.

"I am," he said, and he lifted a glass, pouring wine into it, and offering it out to her. "A drink, my lady?"

Her eyes narrowed. Perhaps this was what Terra's warning had been about. "No thank you," she said coolly, and she stood up, intending to leave him where he sat. But he caught her by the arm, faster than she had thought possibly, and he spun her around so she could face him.

"Hey!" Xion cried, struggling to rip her arm free, and the boy laughed. She flushed in anger, and without thinking she took a swipe at him with her knife. That shut him up well enough.

She'd caught him in the arm, fabric tearing and blood spewing from the wound. She gaped as it pooled black, gushing and hissing as if it were aflame. Before she could scream, the back of his hand was against her cheek, and the knife went clattering to the cobblestone.

"Strike me again, my lady bitch, and I'll gut you right here," he spat at her, and she could almost feel the spittle on her face. His mask kept her from seeing his face, and that frightened her to no end.

"Leave me alone!" Xion shrieked, struggled against his grasp, and his laugh sent a shudder down her spine.

"Oh, shut up and listen," he sighed, boredom catching his tone. "I saw you speaking with the blue haired one. Tell me about her."

"You're kidding me," she said flatly, her eyes flitting over his mask, hoping to catch sight of his face. "What do you want with her?"

"That really is not your concern, blood maid." He seemed to chuckle at his own nickname for her. "Tell me what you know of her."

"I only just talked to her that one time," Xion gasped, hoping it didn't sound like a lie. It was the truth, but it didn't feel like it. "I can't tell you anything you probably don't already know!"

"Then tell me of the man who was with her." The boy didn't seem to be angry that Xion appeared not to know anything, and she swallowed hard. "Terra, was it? The prince of this damned land."

"I wouldn't know," Xion blurted, remembering all Terra had taught her about safety. Never say too much to strangers. "He's the prince?"

"The queen just _announced_ it, you little fool." The man seemed angry now, and Xion whimpered, and nodded.

"I didn't hear!" she gasped as he grabbed for the knife she'd dropped and pressed it against her cheek.

"What use are those pretty little ears then, I wonder?" He pressed the blade so close to her skin, she bled beads of red that slipped down her cheek. Xion cried out in surprise, the sting of the cut making her eyes water.

"Vanitas!" Xion heard a soft voice cry out, and her eyes flickered to the blur of white that approached. It was the girl she'd followed under the table earlier, her blue eyes wide and frightened, and her mouth agape. "What are you doing?"

"It's really, really obvious what I'm doing, kitten," Vanitas said without a care, and Xion heard a smirk in his tone. "Go on and dance with that blond bastard, if that's what you wish. Just remember that I'm not done with you yet."

"You saw…?" The girl trailed off, looking confused, but she started up again without finishing that sentence. "That is not my wish, Vanitas."

"Oh?" The boy cocked his head at her. "And what is, might I ask?"

"I wish for us to leave," the girl said in a hushed voice, and once again Vanitas laughed. He left the girl scowling as he grabbed her by the neck. She didn't look quite as frightened as Xion felt, her eyes defiant, and her jaw set.

"Tell you what," Vanitas said casually. "I'll kill the prince's precious pet right here, and then I'll take you back to the ship and lock you in your cabin. You won't go anywhere near Roxas, is that clear?"

"No." It surprised Xion how strong the girl appeared now that she had something to defend. "Leave the girl alone, Vanitas, please. I'll go with you, I won't speak to Roxas, and I won't fight. But let us leave _now_."

"I still have business here."

"Then kill me now," she said, her voice quivering. "Kill me now and get it over with, because if you kill this girl you're not taking me back to that ship alive!"

"Wow. I guess it was only a matter of time you learned the dramatics of it all." He pushed Xion away, and the girl stumbled back with a gasp. She cupped her bleeding cheek and stared at the blonde girl, who looked desperately at Xion, her bravery nothing but a transparent mask. She looked like she was ready to pass out. "Lucky for you, I can't take up that offer. You have something I need."

"Of course," she murmured, her courage gone. "Can we leave?"

"Did my old pet not please you?" He sounded amused. "Pity that, but if he knew you like I know you, he'd hate you all the same."

"You don't know me," she said, and he laughed that awful laugh of his. Xion and the girl cringed.

"I know you better than you know yourself, kitten." And with that, he pulled her by the arm and disappeared into the night. Xion sat on the cold cobble, her eyes wide, and her thoughts on Terra, stupid Terra, who had not thought to tell Aqua about his royal title out of fear of how she'd look upon him. And now it was too late.

Her stepmother had announced it to the entire kingdom, it seemed, and all she could hear were the whispers of Terra, Prince Terra, who'd run after a faerie girl. _But Aqua, she's not a faerie_, Xion thought with confusion. _Terra would know if she was a faerie._

Xion was finding it very hard to breathe.

* * *

><p>"Terra, stop!" Aqua cried, tearing her arm from his grasp. He blinked at her fearfully, and she found herself feeling a little guilty. "Terra… the queen… she said…"<p>

"I should've told you," he blurted, his blue eyes wide. "I should've told you the moment I found out you were a girl. The moment we swore not to keep secrets from each other. But I had to keep this from you, Aqua."

Aqua stared at him flatly for a long while. Then she said, "I don't understand."

He looked sad, his tanned face sculpted from shadows in the torchlight, and he shook his head. "You know what the queen was announcing, Aqua."

"The…" Aqua trailed off, staring confusedly at Terra. The truth hit her as she spoke it. "She was introducing the prince for the first time."

"Yes, she was."

Aqua stared at him, her jaw tightening and her fists clenching as Terra stared at her, his eyes making her believe what she refused to. "No," she said in defiance, turning away from him.

"I didn't want you to find out like this… I thought I had more time."

"No!" she screamed, pushing him away when he got close to her. "You… can't be the prince. You're a knight!"

"I trained with knights," he admitted feebly. "My mother never let the common folk see my face out of fear of assassinations. I acted as a knight, and I am one, I guess, but I am the heir to the kingdom. And I'm of an age where I can become king."

"Shut up," she said rapidly, her mind swimming with confusion and betrayal. "King! Terra, you can't be king! You're not a king."

"Thank you for your vote of confidence, it really makes me feel good about myself."

"Stop!" She felt hysterical now as she realized her life was gone. He was the reason she dressed like a boy half the time, him and his sword, and his funny words, and his stubbornness to get a warrior out of her, and his stupid friendship. Everything about him that she loved would be stripped from him, and he'd just be another man, hard and unyielding, as most authorities were. "Stop it, Terra!"

"You're taking this way worse than I imagined you would," he whispered, understanding etched on his face. "Aqua, this is why I never told you! I thought you'd hate me!"

"I don't hate you, you idiot!" she shrieked, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm _scared_ for you. King, Terra! You cannot be king."

"I will be, though," he said, frowning. "Sooner than I'd like."

"And I'll never see you," she said bitterly, her tears running freely against her glass mask. "It's all over, isn't it? We'll never be friends now!"

"We can!" He grasped her hands in his, and she stared at him with wide eyes. "We can, Aqua, please just hear me out."

"I'm listening," she whispered, tasting salty tears in her mouth. "But nothing you suggest will work. Terra, don't be a prince, please…"

"I'm so sorry." He sounded genuine, but Aqua was so angry with him for never telling her, she wanted to smack him across the face. She could lose her hand for that now. Or her head. Probably her head.

"I don't want to not be friends with you," Aqua said, trembling. "I… gods, I feel so dumb! You bastard, you hid it well, too! I never knew… how could I know? Maybe I _do_ hate you!" She slid her hands from his and pushed him again, hard. Her head be damned, it made her feel better to release her anger a little. "I hate that you lied, and I hate that you treated me like I was special! I hate that you let me believe that you were common, that you could abandon your vows if you wished! I hate you!"

"Do you?" he asked quietly, his face stony. "Do you really, Aqua?"

"Yes." She gritted her teeth and glared up at him, her fists trembling at her sides. "You made me believe that I had a friend that I could rely on, and that was all a sham. So yes, _Prince_ Terra, I _hate_ you." And with that, she spun on her glass heel, and ran. The glass clinked against the cobble, and Terra shouted after her, but she ran onward, gathering her skirt as she reached a stairwell, and she cried out as she felt a crack on her left foot. She shook her head and let her foot slide out of the slippers, and she leapt from the stairwell, landing easily on bare feet.

She abandoned the glass slippers there, glad to be rid of the burdens.

* * *

><p>Kairi followed Riku without a word, swimming in the narrow waterway with a small smile. She'd get what she wanted. She would. But perhaps this was too much… the king of the faeries was not known for his kindness.<p>

Still, she moved without question, hoping that the Seelie king would hear her out. Riku did not seem to be too interested in her, but Kairi wondered about his connection to the human boy. Faeries didn't like humans much, that was a thing that seemed to be certain. And yet, she was finding more and more faeries who tended to go out of their way for the creatures she was desperate to become one of.

"You care about Sora?" Kairi spoke finally, and Riku glanced down at her.

"Obviously," he said with a short laugh. "I would not bother with this if I didn't. He's my only friend."

Kairi thought about Ven, and she submerged herself in hopes that she'd crush the hurting. Swimming faster, she wondered if she'd ever see Ventus again. But then, he always had a knack for finding her. When she pushed face up, breaking the water, she found herself in a throne room. It was breathtaking, the white marble floor carved into an intricate dip, so the ocean would meet it. The throne itself looked as if it was made of ice, arching upward with frosty spikes brushing the ceiling.

The king was sitting, looking to be asleep, with his head rested against his fist. Ashen hair framed his face, curling inwards and outwards, and a smile quirked at the corners of his lips. The sight of him made Kairi want to slip back under the water, but Riku seemed to only gain more confidence, as if the presence of the king made him livelier.

"Your grace," Riku said, his voice clipped in formality. "I must ask that you awaken."

The smile stretched into a smirk, but the rest of the king's body did not move. "Oh, don't bother asking," he said, his voice startlingly high. "I'm perfectly awake."

"Can you address a king like that?" Kairi whispered worriedly, thinking of what her father would think of this. No one treated the ruler of the ocean so familiarly, not even her.

"No," Riku said, and Kairi thought she could almost see him smile. "But I tend to be on the good side of most royalty."

"That's true enough." The king's eyes opened, and Kairi stared in slight awe at the deep violet hue of them. Against the white around them, the king's eyes seemed to glow. "Thank you for actually responding to my call this time, Riku, that was so _kind_ of you." His smile made Kairi's stomach churn.

"You're angry with me?" Riku frowned. "I'm no knight of yours. I did not need to follow your command."

"Oh, don't be silly," the king laughed, a simper that caused Kairi to stare blankly at him. "If I was angry with you, you'd know. I'm just bitter that you found a place for yourself, and perhaps I had hoped you would return your service to me." His smirk turned to a grin, and he shook his head. "Whatever."

"Why would you want me as a knight?" Riku's confusion was so painfully obvious, Kairi wondered if he was half human, the way he showed his emotions. But then, he did spend so much time with them, it seemed… "I'm not loyal to you, and even oath can't stop ambition."

"Do you wish to be king?"

"No," Riku said, "but that's not the point."

"The point doesn't matter," the king said, waving his hand. "Your loyalty doesn't either. I didn't call for you to make you bend the knee, I don't care for that."

"What do you care for then, your grace?" Riku asked placidly.

The king shrugged, and then his attention turned to Kairi. The mermaid stiffened under the purple gaze, and she blinked at him as his eyebrows rose. "I didn't realize you became fond of mermaids. I suppose they are more exotic than humans."

"I brought her here on her request." Riku glanced at Kairi, who stayed silent. "What she wants with you is not my business. Tell me, Joshua, why am I here? What is so important?"

Joshua, the King of the Seelie Court, watched Kairi for a bit longer, his expression unreadable. He then turned his attention back to Riku. "Well, it's a small matter. I've been told by my soothsayer about some of the more interesting humans of the Heartlands."

"I was just there," Riku said, irritated.

"Yes, I know. You met a few of the humans I mean."

Riku stared at Joshua, and Kairi watched with great interest. The Heartlands weren't her favorite place, but she enjoyed the warm waters, and no one seemed to ever notice her. Kairi found herself wondering if Sora was from the Heartlands, but she knew she hadn't left him on the shore of that kingdom.

Riku glared up at the king, his frown making him look aged, though not the age he really was. "I met a lot of people tonight," he said slowly. "Give me some specifics."

"The girl with short black hair, does that ring any bells?"

"Not rea—" Riku stopped himself, and his expression became hard. Joshua smiled, cupping his chin in his hand, and giggling slightly. "She was just a child."

"Compared to you, maybe," Joshua said, sighing dramatically. "Yes, a child. A poor, innocent child, and her blood will burn this entire spit of land until the ocean rises up to swallow it…"

"She's going to die?" Riku asked. "That shouldn't matter to me. Children get murdered all the time."

"Perhaps. You've done a bit of children slaying in your life, haven't you?"

Kairi swayed, examining Riku's face for a reaction, but he simply stared hard at Joshua. "I used to be a very good dog," he said coldly. "The girl, then. Her blood will burn everything? What do you want me to do, drink it?"

"Oh, don't tempt me." Joshua gave a thin smile. "Save her. You like humans, don't you?"

"I like the humans I serve. I cannot speak for the rest of humanity, because they are not all kind."

"The girl is a child, like you said. She means no ill to anyone, but if we let her die, I'm afraid we'll unleash something awful." Joshua's eyes suddenly flashed to Kairi, and he gave her another smile, this one looking almost genuine. "Mermaid, what do you think?"

Kairi was shocked that she'd been called upon, but she was quick about it. She stared at Joshua, a frown gracing her lips, and she said, "If saving one life can save thousands, why argue?"

And at that, Joshua's face seemed to relax, and he laughed again. This time it was not a simper, though it was still a bit girlish, and he smiled down at Riku. "That girl's blood is so cold she can barely feel emotion without feeling a sting, and you, who can feel freely, wish not to save a little girl's life?"

"You don't know me, Joshua, so don't pretend you do." Riku's jaw was set, and Kairi could see it move a little as his teeth grinded against each other. "If it's truly so important that I save the girl, fine. So be it. But I do this because it is my choice, and you have no part in it."

"You don't care for me," Joshua huffed. "I'm not a fool. But you are not dumb, and you know things you'd rather not, and you believe me when I say this girl and her life could make all the difference."

"Tell me where to find her."

"Of course," Joshua said, smirking as he wound his fingers around of his hair, his head tilting. "Though I'd like to hear about the mermaid first. She requested you bring her? Could you not say no? Or were you seduced by the child?"

"I'm not a child," Kairi objected, and Riku shot her a look.

"She saved a human I serve," Riku said, shrugging. "I repay my debts. She wanted to see you, for gods know what reason. That's not my business."

"Sure." Joshua leaned forward, his eyes on Kairi's face. "I'm very curious. What do you want, mermaid? I can't promise you'll have it, you know."

Kairi stared at him, nervousness fluttering in her stomach, and she reached up to grasp the marble floor. "I want to be human, your grace," she said carefully, holding his gaze so he would not sense her slight fear.

Riku looked down at her, his eyes widening, but Kairi was staring at Joshua, hoping that he would understand somehow. He did not seem surprised, but his expression had gone still, and serious, and there were no more smiles.

"Human," Joshua repeated, his eyes narrowing at her as the corner of his mouth twitched. "Now, why would a little mermaid like you want such a thing?"

"I don't belong," Kairi breathed, her shoulders hunching. "Not in the sea, not inside my own body. I can't take it, and I want to be free. You're a faerie king— if you can't make me human, no one can."

"Don't do it," Riku blurted, and Kairi looked up at him. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was agape. "Don't try to make a deal with him, siren."

"I thought this wasn't your business?" Kairi scowled at him, and looked back at the king, who was studying her closely. "Please, your grace, it's just this one thing I ask for. I'll give you anything."

"Anything?" Joshua's eyes seemed to light up at this. "You realize the fragility of this type of transformation. Magic isn't free, and to appease the gods you must prove yourself or destroy yourself. You do understand this?"

"Yes," she said. "Please make me human."

Nothing in her life had ever scared Kairi more than Joshua's smile at that moment.

* * *

><p>Naminé hated him. She stole glares at the back of his neck, and found herself plotting ways to make him pay for treating that girl the way he did. The girl had been so oddly <em>kind<em> to Naminé, and she was regretting not responding to her smiles and interest. But something had awoken inside her when she saw Vanitas press the knife to the girl, and now it was all she could do to not let this courage slip through her fingers.

He had her by the arm, and she followed with obedience, though she lagged behind him. His grip was tight on her, and she wanted to scream at him, to run away, but she was not stupid. She'd be beaten if she spoke against him.

"What was the point of that?" she asked instead of shouting at him. "Why were we even there? You did nothing."

"Hush." Vanitas's grip on her tightened. "You are so stupid. I did exactly what I went there to do, and now I know."

"Know what?"

"That's none of your concern, kitten." He tugged on her arm roughly, and Naminé stopped. The last of her bravery was nearly gone, and she needed to be brave for this. She tried not to flinch as he spun to face her, his body going rigid in anger.

"_What_?" he spat. "I did all you asked, I let the damn girl go. I even let you talk to that _idiot_, because I thought it would keep you occupied long enough for me to do my business. What do you want now?"

"If you feel that way, you shouldn't have made me come," Naminé murmured.

"I wanted to keep you in my sight, you stupid wench."

"You let me go off by myself…"

"I was watching you very closely."

She shivered, not knowing how to respond to that, and when he yanked her forward, she scrambled to pull him back. "Stop," she said cautiously. He barked a laugh, and shook his head.

"Do you want me to carry you back, kitten? I won't be gentle about it."

"I can walk." Naminé wrinkled her nose at the idea of him carrying her. "I just want one thing."

"Always wanting," he cooed.

"I think it's a human thing," she whispered, eyes like ice. "You wouldn't understand, I'd think."

He was quiet for a time, and there was a soothing satisfaction that went through her, making her smile a little. "What is it you want?"

She watched him, her bravery turning to water suddenly, and she swallowed. She wanted to be brave. She really did, but everything about him made her want to cry, and run, and hide. She almost shook her head and told him not to mind her, but she wanted to know. She straightened her spine and narrowed her eyes. "Take your mask off," she said, her voice staying steady to her great surprise.

"What?" He sounded shocked, and that brought back some of her courage. She smiled a little.

"Take it off," she said, jerking her head at him. "I want to see your face."

"And why would I do that?" Irritated, he yanked her hard, and she fell to her knees. The light white silk pooled around her, milky against the cobblestone.

"I just want to see it," she murmured, finding it in herself to look up at his mask. "If I'm staying with a madman, I'd like to see what he looks like!"

"If you were a smart girl, you'd turn the blind eye and realize there's a reason I wear this mask." Naminé thought she heard a smile in his voice.

"You've established already that you don't believe me to be a smart girl." She scowled, and her eyes widened when he bent down to his knee before her, darkness keeping her reflection from gleaming on the mask. "Will you let me see?"

"I'm not on me knees to comfort you," he laughed, and she could have smiled, but then she remembered how much she hated him. "I'm doing this only out of curiosity."

"Then we are on the same note," she countered, relishing in her bravery. She held her breath as Vanitas let go of her arm and rested his hands on his mask. With a twist and a click, it was off, and Naminé could only blink at him.

He looked like a normal boy. Ordinary, maybe, his face long and his lips thin, but perhaps not so ordinary because of his eyes. She sat there, staring in wonder, as his golden gaze glowed against the night. That was all that seemed to be strange about his appearance, and she wished she had a bit more light, to see if there was anything truly grotesque about him.

"Well?" he asked, his face screwing up in impatience.

"You just look like a boy," she said confusedly, lifting her hand to his face, and her fingers landing against the flesh of his cheek. Her eyes widened as the skin seemed to melt away for a second, a dark mist flowing beneath the tips of her fingers before he slapped her hand away hard enough to make her shout.

He slipped the mask back on, but before he did Naminé saw him frowning. He pulled her roughly to her feet and pushed her forward, and she went without complaint.

"Perhaps you need to open your eyes," he said quietly when they got onto the dock.

She did not understand until she went to sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Anyone want to review this chapter? =[<em>


	11. Dream Monarch

**{dream monarch}**

The wolf was smaller this time. In a foggy haze, she knelt beside it, letting it nuzzle her palm and whimper a little. It was just a pup, she realized, a tiny little thing with no home to go to. She smiled at it, and it looked up at her with its big blue eyes, and she saw that it was crying, red tracks staining its pale fur and snout. Blood, she saw, and she wanted to scream at the sight.

The wolf turned slowly, beckoning her to follow, and she did. She was not on the ship anymore, but in a long hallway, doors running down each side, and beside each door was a still beating heart, nailed into the stone wall. She stared as rivulets of blood ran slid downward, and thumping filled her ears. She hurried her pace, standing beside the wolf as it stopped before a door.

_Open it_, a soft voice in her head whispered. _See what you have done_.

She reached forward, her fingers against the dark red knob, but she pushed herself away fast. "No!" she gasped, shaking her head. "I don't want to see!"

_You have to open your eyes, _the wolf said, looking up at her sadly. _If you don't, you'll never know the truth._

"But I'm happier this way…" she murmured, stepping backwards. The wolf shook its head and began to whimper again. It gave her a look full of absolute sorrow, and it bolted down the hallway without another word. She moved after it, but her legs got snagged by something beneath the mist, and she tumbled face down into a pool of clouds.

She tried to scream, but her voice caught in her throat, and as she fell she found that flowers where knotting themselves in her hair, crawling up her skull and knitting themselves into the golden strands in a circle atop her head. The clouds spun and wept, and she felt something crawling on her back. She wanted to find something to grab to stop her falling, but she couldn't.

She landed on a bed of feathers as white as her skin and as soft as silk, and she laid there, terrified. She could not move, and her chest ached as if someone had stuck a blade between her ribs. She could not breathe, but she could see, and when she saw she screamed, but her mouth would not move.

He stood above her, his mask in his hands, and he smiled, his skin around his mouth cracking. He looked as if he'd just been burned alive, his cheeks sunken, and his skin crisp and flaking and charcoal black. She would not have recognized him if it were not his eyes, the gold seeming to be a live flame against the smothered fire-fuel that was his skin.

_This is your fault_, his voice hissed, and she sobbed. No sound left her lips. _Everything that's happened is your fault, and you were a fool from the start. You think I'm evil, but what are you?_

"Not me!" she screamed, her jaw clamped shut. "I never did anything! Why are you taking this out on me? I never hurt you, it wasn't me!"

But no matter how hard she screamed, or cried, or sobbed, no one heard her. The golden eyed boy faded away against a cloud, and even after he was long gone she could see the glow, two embers in the darkness, only there to watch her.

She saw the silver haired boy next. He knelt at her side and stared at her, his eyes wide, and his mouth agape, and he looked so human she sobbed even more.

_I'm so sorry,_ he whispered, his voice near hysterical. _I should never have left you alone…_

"Me?" she asked through unmoving lips. "Stop it! Stop saying this to me! It's not me! Let me go, I'm not her, I'm not her!"

His voice swam in her mind long after everything faded away. _I wish I was dead with you._

"I'm not dead!" she shrieked, sitting up in her bed, her eyes wide and tears streaming hot down her cheeks. She panted and clutched at her chest, feeling for a wound, but there was none. "I'm not dead… I'm not her…"

Who is she? That was the question on Naminé's lips as she tried to drown the images of Vanitas's true face with images of the flowers falling around her. She might've been scared, tumbling down from the sky like that, but it had been so pretty…

"I'm not her," she repeated, kicking back her blankets. She swung her legs over the side of her bed, feeling her hair swing from side to side. It was still done up from the ball, but it was loose and tangled now. Naminé stumbled toward the door of her cabin, swinging it open without a thought. "Who are you?" she whispered to the night as she moved down the ladder to the cells.

It was an open question. She asked it to Vanitas, and to Roxas, and to the boy with silver hair, and to the wolf, and to the woman the boy thought she'd been, and most of all, she asked it to herself. Who was she, the girl pirates hated for reasons no one could explain, the girl who spoke to ancient wolves, the girl who saw and knew and learned? She understood that her dream was not just a dream, but something deeper, something as ancient and archaic as the wolf.

Perhaps she wasn't human after all.

She grabbed a lantern from a hook, the dank lower level of the ship too dark and musty for her liking. She knew how to get to him, though, for whatever reason, and she found that no one stopped her. She passed Axel, who was playing dice with a blonde man with a beard, but neither of them looked up at her. Even as her bare feet scuffed against the floor, and even when she waved a hand in front of his face, Axel did not notice her. It was like she wasn't even there.

She neared the cell soon enough, her arm extended with the lantern, and light splashed against the wolf's features. He had been sleeping, but the moment the light touched him, he raised his head to look at her. His wise blue eyes found hers, and she smiled at him.

"I had a dream about you," she said, setting the lantern down on the ground. The wolf blinked at her, and she wondered if it understood her. She wished she could speak that language again, but she knew that wouldn't happen. "You were smaller, but I know it was you. You wanted to show me what I'd done, but I didn't want to see."

He rose up, his large body wobbling a little, and she could tell he was exhausted. He padded near her, pressing his nose through the bars of the cage, and he whimpered a little. Naminé smiled slightly, and she looked around. Shadows were cast by the dim light, and they seemed to sway with the ship. She might've been frightened if she was in her normal state of mind, but for the moment, she was understanding.

"I'm not who they think I am," she said with certainty. "I didn't make Vanitas look like that."

The wolf cocked his head, and Naminé grinned at him. "You have a name, don't you?"

He watched her, his eyes glistening in the lantern's light, and for a while she stood there staring. Finally, he nodded, and turned away.

* * *

><p>Kairi was as surprised as Riku when two faeries walked before the king, one bending the knee, the other folding his arms across his chest and jerking his helmeted head in acknowledgement. When Kairi squinted at the one kneeling, she noticed how human she looked, and she had to bite back a comment.<p>

"Is there anything in particular you wanted, your grace?" the helmeted one asked, his tone sardonic and bored.

"Neku," the girl said quietly, tugging on his the fabric of his breeches. Neku, the helmeted boy, did not respond immediately. But after a long look from Joshua, the boy bent the knee as well, though it was hesitantly.

"I called for you two because I wanted your opinion." Joshua twisted a bit of his fluffy ashen hair between his thumb and forefinger. "Not because I wanted your undoubtedly upbeat attitude."

"That's me," Neku grunted, his head bowed near the floor. "Perky as hell. Can I get up now?"

"_May_ I get up, Neku, _may_."

"You're the king, you can raise your ass off that stupid chair whenever you please," the boy retorted, and to his credit, he still kept his head to the floor, and what was visible of his face was calm. Kairi giggled, thinking to herself that the boy would be beheaded if this was a normal court.

"Neku, stop," the girl said, raising her head. "My apologies, my lord, my friend does not know how to hold his tongue."

Joshua was smiling, to Kairi's surprise, and he giggled in response to her words. "If Neku knew how to hold his tongue he wouldn't be nearly as high maintenance as he is."

"What?" The boy rose his head at this. "If his grace did not want to put up with the trouble of having a human pet, why did his grace choose to _keep_ it?"

"Human?" Kairi blurted out before she could stop herself. It was one thing for a faerie to speak to the king like that, but a human? It was unthinkable, and yet here it was happening right before her eyes. She couldn't help but think it was amazing.

Neku turned his head to her, and she saw him frown. "You called us here for a mermaid?"

"Why do you ask questions you know the answers to?" Joshua asked with a long sigh, his eyes falling on the girl. "I don't know how you deal with him, he acts like he's still a child."

"_I_ act like a child? Have you ever heard yourself—" He stopped, his sentence ending with a sharp gasping noise, and his lips twisted a little in pain.

"Thank you, Rhyme." Joshua smiled easily, rising to his feet before the four of them. Riku seemed to be confused, his eyes flashing between the two faeries… or two humans, Kairi couldn't be sure with the girl, Rhyme. "Someday you must tell me how you do that."

The looked that crossed Rhyme's face was a mix of guilt and shame, and she turned away from Joshua. Neku seemed to relax, and he slumped a little. He took a few steps back to distance himself from the king, and the girl, who was now watching Kairi with a great deal of interest. Kairi watched her as well, and she realized the girl looked very young. There was also the shimmer of glamour that clung to her, though the trace was light.

"Joshua," Riku said, his eyes finally resting on Neku. "That boy…"

"Oh, he's exactly who you think he is." Joshua's smile widened, and Neku turned to look at Riku. "Neku, remove your helm."

It took Neku a moment to obey, but when he did, a mess of orange hair fell against the boy's face, and his dark blue eyes found Riku's. Kairi found something strange about those eyes. She thought perhaps they looked too wise for a young human boy.

"You kept him?" Riku whispered.

"No, I sacrificed him, and now he is back to haunt me with his quick tongue and slight sense." Neku rolled his eyes at Joshua's words, and he waved at Riku.

"You never told me there was someone else there that night," he said, eyebrows furrowed.

"I never thought to bring it up." The smile on his face looked cruel, but Kairi could see that there was something more than that. Neku seemed more than just human, and the silence between them seemed eerie. The way they were looking at each other, their eyes locked, it seemed as if they were speaking without using words.

It took Kairi a moment to realize the girl, Rhyme, had snuck beside the pool, and was now sitting cross-legged beside her. She offered Kairi a kind smile. "They'll be at this for a while," she said. "They banter constantly. Once they did this in front of the entire court, and Joshua was forced to flog him."

"They're friends," Kairi said distantly. Rhyme nodded. "It's sad."

"I agree." She stared at the duo, her lips tugging downward. "But birds of a feather flock together, I guess."

"What?" Kairi stared at the tiny blonde, who shook her head in response. What did the king and Neku have to do with birds?

"I just meant that they're alike in a certain sense, so they tend to rely on one another."

"What does that have to do with feathers?" Kairi flushed when Rhyme laughed, and said that it was just an expression.

"Why did you keep him?" Riku asked, staring at Neku intently.

"Well," Joshua said, walking towards Neku. When he got too close, Neku sidestepped him, glaring at the back of his head. "I wasn't going to, to be honest. Human children are cute to look at, but they're so _noisy_."

"But you kept him," Riku said, his eyes widening. "You kept him, and raised him, and now what? You have a human puppet?"

"Says the manservant to humans." Neku smiled bitterly at Riku when the boy looked at him sharply. "Yeah, still here, buddy."

"He's here because he has nowhere else to go, and he's actually useful when he _shuts up_." He smiled sweetly back at the boy, who in return looked torn between being disgusted and annoyed. "Why don't you demonstrate, Neku."

"If it pleases you, _your grace_," Neku spat, his eyes on Riku. "You used to be Joshua's knight when you were young, because you grew up here, but he traded you off for one reason or another, and that's why you're not bound to him anymore. The queen you were serving died a few years ago, so you're free from faerie service for good unless you make a new vow. So, did you fall in love with the queen before or after she took the human kid's heart?"

Riku stared blankly at Neku, as did Kairi, and Rhyme sighed beside her. "Don't be cruel, Neku," she called, and Joshua waved at her to be silent.

"Before, huh?" Neku swiveled in place, glaring at Joshua. "You never told me I wasn't supposed to be a sacrifice, you asshole."

"Yes, I'm so sorry I forgot to mention the fact that you were never supposed to be here, my greatest apologies, Neku." Joshua smirked at Riku, who was standing rigidly. "Do you see why I kept him now?"

"Did you tell him all that?" Riku asked glumly.

"To be honest, I never tell Neku anything." Joshua's smile was almost hostile. "He finds out through other means."

"I'm a telepath," Neku said, deadpanned.

It made sense suddenly what was happening. The drawn out eye contact between Neku and Joshua, Rhyme's method of making Neku be quiet. If Neku could read minds, he could probably project his thoughts just as easily, creating a speechless conversation, but telepathy would also cause him to be very sensitive to certain things. Perhaps Rhyme had a certain thought that strained Neku's mind too far.

"That's awful," Kairi murmured, and all eyes fell on her. Joshua's were curious, and Rhyme's seemed to express agreement, but Neku's were the ones that surprised her. He stared at her with a hollow look that made her sympathy only grow for him. One mind was befuddling enough, but having to listen to everyone at once had to be excruciating.

"He's stronger than you'd think, mermaid." Joshua walked toward her, and he tilted his head. Rhyme jumped to her feet, and Joshua patted her head as he passed. "Now, about your issue. You see, I can't just let you walk out of here with your newly human body. Magic doesn't work that way, and honestly, the havoc you could wreak by just being near a human is more than I'd like, considering peace terms and other things that might be endangered."

Kairi frowned. "I won't hurt anyone," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not like that."

"Oh, I'm sure you're not!" He laughed and bent beside her so they were eyelevel. "But I don't trust your word for it."

Rhyme stood straighter when Joshua rose up and stepped toward her. He tilted his head and folded his arms across his chest. "And what do _you_ think of this, changeling?"

Rhyme's eyes moved to Kairi's face, her expression contorting slightly. She then calmed, and looked back up at Joshua. "I don't think she means any harm, my lord."

"Hmm." He seemed to ponder her answer for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, she does not seem the type, to be sure… also, leave your courtesies at the door when you don't have an audience, Rhyme, it's very distracting."

She stared at him for a long time, her face never betraying her thoughts. "If it pleases you," she said, distrust slipping into her tone. She managed to cover it with a timid smile, and she turned away, moving quickly to Neku's side. He glanced at her, but said nothing. Perhaps he was speaking to her in her head.

Kairi wondered what her story was. It seemed as if she didn't belong where she was, almost as much as Neku. Was she human? Kairi found herself looking to Neku, who was watching her with narrowed eyes. Nothing in his expression seemed to answer her question, despite his glare. Perhaps it meant that it did not matter whether or not Rhyme was human.

"Will you make me human?" Kairi asked, looking back to Joshua. "I have nothing to offer you, so I can see why you would say no."

"Now, that's not how you bargain." He smirked at her and shook his head. "You should learn now that there is _always_ something to offer." Something in his tone made Kairi shudder, and she sunk into the water, turning her gaze from his.

"Before I decide, I need both of you to give me your honest opinions about this. My two dysfunctional humans are the only ones I can trust with this."

"Why don't you just choose by yourself?" Neku asked. "Be independent."

"Because I'm asking _you _to choose for me." Joshua spun around and walked back to his icy throne, and Kairi peered up at the duo. So Rhyme was human after all? The girl was standing close beside Neku, who was quiet now. It seemed he was honestly thinking this through. Kairi felt a sudden panic, realizing that this boy knew her thoughts, her feelings, and now he was making a decision based on that.

"Let her be human," Rhyme said, speaking loud. "If she wants this, she should have the chance to have it."

"It's not that simple, Rhyme," Neku murmured. "Magic doesn't work like that. It's very specific."

"It worked for me." The girl looked up at Joshua, her eyes widening. "You can give her this, I know you can. You should do it."

"I may very well," Joshua simpered. "But I would like to remind you that you were never human. The details of the glamour you were under as a child are a bit fuzzy at best, but no matter how strong it was, you were never human."

She stared at him, her face becoming something that did not suit her, hard and expressionless. "If you can say that, Joshua, then I don't believe you have grasped the concept of humanity yet," she said in a soft, almost tender voice. It didn't match the look on her face.

Neku looked taken aback by her words, and even Joshua's eyes seemed to widen slightly. Rhyme gave a slight curtsy, her expression sliding back into a pleasant smile. "I must excuse myself, your grace. I don't believe I'm welcome here any longer." She turned and walked quietly out of the throne room, her feet padding softly against the marble.

"Wow, you pissed her off," Neku observed, his eyes following the girl as she left. "Next time, Josh, don't even talk to her, you only make things worse."

"Why do you have a changeling at court?" Riku asked, his eyes warily flickering between Joshua and Neku. "Better yet, how'd she get so old? Changelings usually die before the one year mark because of their sickliness."

"Well Rhyme never was super sickly," Neku sighed, rubbing his temples in what seemed to be frustration. "She thought she was human until the glamour wore off a few years ago. It was really heavy glamour, and no one knows who put it on her."

"What's a… changeling?" Kairi piped up, staring at the three males with wide eyes.

"A changeling is a faerie child that gets switched with a human child to avoid suspicion for a while." Joshua shrugged, tossing his hair out of his eyes. "They're usually already dying by the time they're switched, so they never last long. Rhyme is a peculiar case; I've never met a changeling who lasted long enough to have the glamour actually wear off."

"That's cruel," Kairi whispered, pushing herself away from the edge of the pool. "You leave your own kind, young and helpless, to die so you can steal human children? That's monstrous!"

"It's done for everyone's benefit," Joshua said. "But I don't expect you to understand. Now, Neku?"

Neku stood quietly for a few moments, his eyes carefully avoiding contact with anyone else's. Finally he looked up at Joshua and shrugged. "Just give her what she wants, Josh. It won't kill you." Neku stepped back, his eyes flashing to Kairi's face, and her eyes widened as his voice rang inside her head. It was a strange sensation, having another person's thoughts inside her brain, and it felt so invasive that she had to bite her tongue.

_Be careful, _his voice whispered. _He doesn't intend on you surviving this. Whatever he says or does next, listen well, and please don't agree to anything stupid._

He dismissed himself after that, no comment to leave behind. Kairi shook her head, trying to rid herself of his voice, but she could still hear it ringing in her mind. She looked up at Riku, who seemed to be equally disturbed, his face contorted strangely.

Kairi took a deep breath, and she pushed her damp hair from her face. Her senses were going wild from being above surface for so long. "You'll help me?" she breathed, trying not to dwell on Neku's words. Joshua smirked at her once more, and he nodded.

"Well, I have no choice, my two little humans agree that it's a good idea, so who am I to argue?" He looked so pleased, Kairi wondered if he'd wanted this all along. Why had he bothered to ask Neku and Rhyme, then?

"The king?" Riku offered, his sullenness still prominent over his cynical reply.

"That's true enough." He stood, plucking from the ice spires of his throne a pale blue flower. He moved forward towards Kairi, kneeling beside the pool. A goblet rose from the waters and solidified in his hand. Swiftly, he crushed the flower, and it crunched beneath his fingers. The remnants spilt into the goblet, and Kairi stared as he held it out to her.

"This will make me human?" she asked, reaching up to take it. Joshua pulled it back, waggling his finger at the redhead. She blinked at him.

"It will," he said. "But there's conditions to humanity. You must be willing to make sacrifices to be human. Are you prepared?"

Kairi thought about Neku's words, but she couldn't bear to take them too heavily to her heart. "I am," she said, determined. "What are the conditions?"

"One." Joshua lifted his index finger, a smirk at his lips. "I'll have to take your voice."

Kairi pushed herself away from him, her eyes growing as wide as saucers. She pressed her hand against her burned throat, going rigid at the thought. "My _voice_? Why?"

"Is it not obvious?" Joshua clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and shook his head. "You're a siren, if you've forgotten, and a human body can't change that. There's magic in your _blood_."

"He's right," Riku said, "as much as I hate to admit it. Your voice has a certain compulsive nature, and a normal human would be clay in your hands."

Kairi looked to Joshua, her fingers sliding against her wet throat, and she could only nod weakly. "Fine," she whispered. "Take it. What else?"

"You'll have a human body, but you won't have a human heart." Joshua stood up, and he swished the liquid around inside the goblet. "I'll give you one moon to prove your humanity."

Kairi felt herself going numb as she digested his words, and she looked down at her hands. "And if I don't?" she asked, looking back up at him. "I die?"

"Not quite." Joshua smiled placidly at her. "Dying is too simple, I'm afraid. I'll require your soul if you fail, and… well, it won't be pretty."

Kairi wanted to say no. It was difficult for her to remember why she was doing this. But then she remembered Ven's words, and her body shuddered as regret and shame filled her. She didn't want to be a associated with killers and seductresses. She wanted to be human, where she could feel emotion without getting sick, and she could run and leap and talk to real people.

"One moon," she said distantly. "How do I know if I've become human in that time, then?"

"You'll know." Joshua's eyes glittered shrewdly.

* * *

><p>Terra marched into his mother's room, his eyes flashing dangerously. He set the pair of glass slippers down on the table, glaring up at the woman's pale face. Her eyebrows raised at his anger, and she tilted a little to the side. "What's wrong now?" she asked, licking her lips.<p>

"You," Terra spat. "I hate you."

It seemed to take all of her self restraint not to roll her eyes, but they twitched anyway. "I'm hurt, Terra." She set down her goblet and shook her head. "I have done nothing wrong, as far as I can see."

"You ruined everything!" His fists trembled as he recalled Aqua's words, her hurt expression, and her frantic escape. She didn't understand why he'd never told her. Why he let her find out like that. In truth, he had meant to tell her earlier, before the announcement was made, but he'd been caught off guard. "I don't want this. I don't want to be a prince."

"Well that's too bad." His mother smiled thinly at him. "But you are a prince, and you'll be king soon."

"No." He glared down at her, feeling more strength facing her than he ever had before. "I'm not going to be king, mother. I am not the rightful heir, Xion is." Terra stepped forward, leaning closer to his mother so she could see the contempt in his eyes. "I'm through pretending. Xion will rule, not me. If she wants me to stay in the castle, I will, but only to make sure she can handle herself, and then I'll leave."

She did not seem to find him amusing anymore. Her blue eyes were cold as she matched his glare, her jaw set. "And where will you go?" She sounded pleasant, but there was poison hidden beneath her tone. Her smile as bitter now.

"That's not your business." Terra straightened up and turned. "You know, making me a knight was the best thing you did for me. It makes all the guards willing to follow my lead." Terra smiled to himself. "I'll give you a day to pack. I have guards on Xion, so don't you even think about touching her, because you don't know these people like I do. If anything happens to her, I'll come after you, is that clear?"

"You're sending me away?" To her credit, she did not sound surprised, or angry, or sad. She just watched him with her cool emotionless gaze, her smile a shell of something sinister. "Your own mother?"

"You stopped being my mother a long time ago," he said quietly. "You'll be sent into exile, but you'll live out the rest of your life comfortably. I made sure of that."

"How kind of you," she spat, rising to her feet. "One day?"

"One day." Terra grabbed Aqua's glass slippers, and left the room without another word.

* * *

><p>Aqua woke up the next morning in her rags, her feet bare and blackened from the road. She laid in her cot for a while, staring at the ceiling as the sun began to lighten her room. Terra was a prince. He'd never told her he was a prince. <em>Why <em>hadn't he told her? The embarrassment from never figuring it out was accumulating to being mortified.

He didn't trust her. After all their years of being together, he did not trust her. She wasn't sure how to cope with that fact.

She jumped off her bed and pulled her soiled washing dress over her head, tossing it aside without much care. Aqua snatched her spare trousers from under the cot, flicking a spider from the baft, and tugging them on quickly. She found a belt near the foot of her cot, and as she tried to make her trousers stay at her hips, she got exasperated. Being a boy would be so much easier.

She took a roll of bandages and bound her breasts until they became as flat as they could be. She had no mirror to inspect her work, so she went along and pulled a thin cotton shirt on, her skinny arms and willowy frame getting swallowed in the baggy fabric. She picked up her boy-boots and left the room, creeping carefully down the stairs. The hall was still dark.

Her vest was hanging on a hook where she left it, and she hastily shrugged it on. She left the house without putting on her boots, her feet already dirt caked to the ankles. She didn't realize she was crying until she reached Eraqus's library, and he spotted her through the window. His eyes were wide, and his brow was knitted in confusion.

It took a moment for Aqua to grasp why. She reached up, feeling for her hat which she knew was not there. She swallowed uneasily and took a step back, wiping her tears away.

She was about to break into a sprint when she saw Eraqus smile. "I'm not quite as much of a fool as you might think, Calder."

Aqua shuffled her feet, feeling her neck and cheeks grow warm with fresh embarrassment. "I never thought you a fool," she said softly, using her normal voice. It felt unnatural speaking to him like this. "I just hoped to fool you."

"You did." He stood and walked to the window, his dark eyes watching her curiously. "For a while, anyway. Your knight helped me figure it out."

"Terra told you?" Anger flared within her, and she turned her face away so he wouldn't see how hurt she was.

"I think you and I know that the boy would never do that." Aqua looked up at him, and she saw amusement in his face. She realized he wasn't quite as old as she often thought he was. "You tended to act a little less like a boy around him, I noticed. Also, you never had the face for it."

"I make a pretty boy." She smiled at him, and she stepping into the shop. "Do you know why I pretended all this time?"

"I can imagine you had many reasons." Eraqus studied her face, and his smile grew. "I used to wish I had a child, Calder. I had apprentices before you, but none quite so… unique."

"Well I'm sure none of them were girls," she laughed, leaning against an oak desk near the far wall.

"That is true enough." He closed his eyes and touched the scar on his cheek. "But I mean something else. You are a special girl, Calder, not only in mind but in heart as well. You have a gift."

Aqua smiled and looked down at her hands, forgetting about Terra for a moment, and her heart swelling for the older man who made her feel like she had a father again. "My name is Aqua, sir. And I'm not sure what I'm gifted with, but thank you… so much."

He walked toward her, his face growing grim as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Aqua," he said, his voice carrying a sort of deadly seriousness. "You may find soon that the world is not as black and white as it seems. I had to learn that the hard way… and I still cling to the idea today, that darkness is to be feared and destroyed."

"Darkness?" Aqua looked up at him curiously. "What do you mean, sir? Darkness as in the night? That's nothing to fear."

"This is my lesson to you." He squeezed her shoulder, his black eyes looking desperately at her face. "A child will wake in darkness and scream, while an adult will awake in darkness and stare. Be a child for as long as you can, Aqua, for children can sense what others ignore."

* * *

><p><em>This is like my special DDD chapter. Because seriously, if you don't know Rhyme and Neku yet, where have you been? I actually didn't realize they were in the same version of Traverse Town until I reread this chapter, so that's cool. <em>

_I'll admit they were my favorite part. I love writing them, and I hope I got them down. Neku's a telepath because when I first bought TWEWY, I thought everyone only had one power at first, and Neku's was mind reading. OBVIOUSLY I WAS WRONG, but I literally had no idea what the game was about, so I went with it. One of the better first impressions of a game I've had, considering I used to think Sora was a girl._

_OH MY GOD, TERRA, DID YOU JUST GROW A BRAIN AND STAND UP TO A VILLAIN BEFORE SHE SCREWED YOU OVER? lol this is why i write fanfiction, just to make myself like people like terra more._

_I'm really excited to get 3D, and a 3DS actually. This is the first time I'm ever getting a system AND a KH game on the same day, so we'll see. I'm getting a used one because I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME MONEY LEFT AFTER THIS. _

_Review? =[ I know this isn't as popular as White Knight, but I like it much better. _


	12. Saw Through Skin and Bone

**{saw through skin and bone}**

Aqua trudged back home, mulling over Eraqus's offer to take her in. It was the last thing he asked her, before she left. She wanted to, that was for certain, but she still was desperate to repay Jihl for saving her as a child. Then again, Jihl hated her with a passion, and probably would not care if she left.

Well, she'd figure it out later. She kicked dirt up from the road as she neared the gate, wiping a bit of sweat from her forehead. Living with Eraqus… it was more than anything she ever wanted, and her heart ached at the thought. Still, she couldn't dwell on it. If she decided to do this, she'd have to think it through clearly before acting.

When she got near the door, she paused, and looked up, her eyes widening. Usually she went around the back, but today she wasn't thinking straight. Today something was wrong.

"Hello," she said slowly, her eyes flashing between the boy sitting on the stoop, and the man leaning against the door. Her gaze settled on the boy. "What are you doing here?"

He raised his head to her, his tired eyes looking her over with curiosity. "We're here for you," Ven said, rising slowly to his feet. Aqua quirked an eyebrow at him as the door opened behind the man, and Jihl stood with a blank expression.

"For me?" She stared at Jihl, wondering why she wasn't screaming about two hoodlums being on her porch. "Are you going to steal me, or something?" She gave a short laugh and stepped up onto the stoop. "Unlikely."

The man at the door flung out his arm before she could brush past him and Jihl. Aqua glanced at him. "Who's this?" she asked Ven, pointing to the red haired man who smirked at her.

"His name is Axel," Ven said, his eyebrows furrowing. "Have we met before?"

"What do you mean?" Aqua turned to face him, and she folded her arms across her chest. "We… met yesterday, Ven. Don't you…?" The look that crossed the boy's face was enough to make her trail into silence. He stared at her with wide eyes, and behind her the redheaded man made a choking noise.

"Ah, lass, you've got the wrong brother," the man said, clapping her on the shoulder. Aqua looked up at him, and she gasped as he readjusted his grip to her arm, tightly gripping her bicep.

"What's going on?" she asked weakly, her eyes flashing to Ven. He looked at her sadly, shaking his head, and turning around.

"My name's Roxas," the boy said, tipping his chin toward the sky. "Ven's my twin, so I see why you're confused."

"Um." She wasn't sure what was happening, but she sensed it wasn't good. "Wow, twins. I didn't expect that." She laughed uneasily, glancing up at the redheaded man, then at Jihl.

"Just take her already," Jihl sighed, turning away. Aqua stared at her.

"Take me," she repeated, her heart pounding. "_Take_ me?"

"I'm sorry," Roxas said, facing her with a solemn expression. "We have orders to take you with us."

"So get on with it and leave," Jihl spat. "Pirates have no place here."

"Pirates have no place anywhere," Axel said, rolling his eyes. "That's why we butt in and make a place for ourselves."

"Pirates," Aqua murmured, wincing as he dragged her forward, lifting her easily off the porch. "You're pirates that are kidnapping me."

"Yeah, this sort of stuff has been happening a lot lately." Axel frowned, his grip only tightening on her arm. "The captain never used to send us chasing after defenseless little girls. Guess it's been a recent fetish."

Her eyes widened as she was pulled through the gate, and she whipped her head back towards the house, but the door was shut. No one was coming to save her. "Your captain likes defenseless little girls, huh?" She sounded breathless, and she snuck closer to Roxas's side. He was staring at the road, his face expressing his apparent unease.

"Seems to be shaping up that way." Axel shrugged. "Except unlike the witch, he didn't tell us a thing 'bout not touching _you_. Guess he doesn't care as much, eh?"

That was it for Aqua. She grasped Roxas's sword at its hilt and yanked it free from its scabbard, taking aim carefully at Axel's jaw. She used enough force with the flat of the blade to knock him back, and when he let go of her she broke out sprinting.

It was still busy in the streets, and the crowd cried out as she shoved past. She was struggling on grasping the entire situation, that some stranger _wanted_ her for… something. No one knew her but Terra and Eraqus! And now these pirates want to steal her off? She wasn't going to let herself yield that easily.

A heavy force hit her from behind, knocking her off her feet and sending her tumbling into the road. The sword clattered a few feet away. Shouts erupted around them, and Aqua flipped herself onto her back, backhanding Roxas as he tried to pin her down.

"Please stop struggling!" he gasped, rotating his jaw in response to her slap. "We won't hurt you!"

"I'm sure!" Aqua slammed her knee into his stomach and scrambled to get to her feet when he fell back. Someone snatched her by her hair, and she screamed, her head snapping back. "Let me go!" she cried, her eyes watering as her hair tore at her scalp.

"Not happening," Axel grunted catching Aqua's jabbing elbow with his free hand. "Wow, you really like to put up a fight, don't ya?"

"Help!" Aqua shouted, her eyes darting around the crowd gathered around her. No one moved forward, and her heart sunk when she realized no one would. She was alone with this. No one was coming to save her.

It caught her eye a few feet away and she blinked, feeling Axel pin her arm behind her back. She leaned forward, gritting her teeth when a few hairs snapped from their roots. "Stop moving," Axel hissed in her ear. "You're only making it harder for yourself."

Her fingers wrapped around the grip of the sword, and she knew Axel had spotted her with it, because he yanked her back. She cried out, her skull throbbing, and she swung the sword backwards. Axel slipped away from the blade, but she managed to sling it up and cut through the strands, sending her free. She pushed herself to her feet, spinning around fast before Roxas could tackle her again.

Axel was staring at her blankly, holding the remains of her cerulean hair in one hand while Roxas was bent to start running after her. Aqua rose the blade, shaking her head at the two of them. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where you're taking me!"

"Do you know how to use that thing?" Axel's eyebrows raised, and he brought himself to his feet.

"Better than you'd think." Aqua took a step back. Her hands were trembling on the grip of the hilt, and she stared as Axel approached her. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

Roxas stared at her, then his gaze flickered to Axel. "Maybe Vanitas should come get her himself."

"Maybe you don't like your head on your shoulders, Rox, but I sure as hell like mine." Axel glared at her, and she grimaced back. "Look, you ain't got anywhere to go. We talked to your ma, and she doesn't want ya anymore."

Aqua bit her lip, taking a step back when Axel moved toward her again. "I'd rather you kill me than drag me off to— to be some pirate's _whore_!"

"We won't let that happen!" Roxas gasped, brushing past Axel. Aqua trained the sword on him, her eyes narrowing. "No, calm down! I don't think Vanitas wants you for that!"

"Uh," Axel said, "he doesn't?"

Roxas shot him a glare. "You've known him longer than I have, and yet you don't know him at all. Vanitas has no interest in women like that."

Axel sighed, and shook his head. "You are so naïve, man. Do you even see the way he treats Naminé?"

Roxas smiled, a little bitterly. "If he wanted to do anything to her, he'd have done it already. He won't touch her, I'm sure of it."

"Stop putting faith in a monster, Roxas," Axel murmured.

Aqua bit her tongue, an idea forming in her mind that she did not want to speak aloud. She was being stupid, and she knew she couldn't bargain with pirates. But still, the idea was tempting… so tempting, that Aqua felt herself speaking up before she could stop herself.

"I wouldn't be in any danger if I wasn't a girl," she said softly, the idea of it blooming into something more. Maybe she could do this.

Roxas opened his mouth to reply, but then his eyes widened as he seemed to take in her appearance. Axel was the one to retort. "Too bad you are, huh?"

"Can you two keep a secret?" Aqua asked, staring at Axel most pointedly.

"Yes," Roxas replied immediately, while his friend simply frowned. "You'll have trouble passing for a boy, though. You have a girl's face."

"And body," Axel quipped. "Wait, she's doing what now?"

"You know I'm girl though, so you see me as a girl." Aqua breathed heavily, lowering her sword. "Just tell your… captain that I'm the brother of the girl he wanted."

"He'll hang you." But Aqua wasn't listening. She tossed the sword at their feet and ruffled her newly cropped hair.

"I'm Calder," Aqua said, folding her arms across her chest. "And the only way I'm going willingly is if you take me as a boy."

* * *

><p>Terra hissed, rubbing his temples with the hope of calming his headache. Xion turned to face him, her worried expression hitting him hard. His head had been pounding since he'd left his mother the night before, and the more time he spent dwelling on it, the more he wanted to scream. He ended up pulling Xion out of bed early to take her for a walk.<p>

"What are we doing?" she asked, pushing a branch away as she struggled to keep her footing through the ruts and tangled roots of the forest floor. "Where are we going?"

He didn't know. He'd slept uneasily the night before, a dream poisoning his mind. Xion had been dead, laying in a coffin of glass, and around her people bent the knee to _him_. Aqua, dressed in a loden vest and leather boots, her hair chopped close to her ears. Ventus, slumped on the ground beside her, and his body was limp, but he still knelt. A girl in white, her eyes wide and knowing, and beside her another girl, a redhead, clutched a onyx hilted dagger in both her hands.

There were others, but he didn't catch their faces. Those were the only ones looking up at him. Everyone else had their head bowed. "Somewhere safe," Terra breathed, drawing his sword to cut through the thickening boughs. Xion stuck as close to him as she could, pushing herself through the forest as carefully as she could manage.

Everything was growing vague. In his heart, he knew something was wrong, but in the end he wasn't strong enough to fight it. Whatever it was that was festering inside him, it knew him, knew his weaknesses. And he'd played right into its hands.

When he stopped mid-stride, his sword extended, he knew something was in his head. He could feel his limbs moving, jerking oddly as he fought to control them. His mind was fogging up, and he tried to shout to Xion as he pointed his sword at her shocked face. But his jaw was tight and unyielding, and he began to scream internally when someone else spoke with his voice.

"Are you scared, child?"

Xion's eyebrows raised, and she glanced at the sword. "Terra, this is getting silly. Will you just tell me what's going on?"

Terra's eyes widened as his arms raised, and he moved to swing his blade at Xion's neck. He missed, barely, his arm jerking at the last moment and hitting her in the cheek instead. When she went crumpling to the ground, Terra's scream was released, but his body was not. Xion clutched at her gashed face, her lips quivering as he approached her.

"Terra," she gasped, skittering back amongst the leaves.

_Run,_ Terra thought, his mind tearing itself apart as it tried to push out the intruder while simultaneously get to the intruder's thoughts. _Xion, run, get _away_ from me!_

He moved toward her, his sword brushing her chin. She watched him with pure terror in her eyes, and Terra's heart broke realizing she was afraid of him, that the horrible expression was in response to _his_ actions. He wasn't stupid enough to not understand what was happening to him. He could feel someone else's consciousness in his head, but he couldn't quite see them. Feeling was enough to make him want to wretch.

"Look at you," Terra spat, glaring at the small girl whose face was now gleaming red from her jaw to her forehead. "A pathetic little wretch without the spine to rule a kingdom."

"Terra, stop," she sputtered, squeezing her eyes shut. He laughed, his voice too coarse and heavy to be his own, and he pulled back to strike.

The sword slipped through his fingers, and Terra screamed, clapping his hands over his head and clutching it as the person in his head let their defenses fall. Terra blinked, the forest fading away, and in its place he saw a garden. Pink and blue and red flowers hung from a dome-like structure above him, and the sound of water pattering gave him the idea that he was near a river. Terra caught the sight of his own wizened hands before his vision swam, and he was thrown back into his own body.

"Terra…?" Xion rose her hand to him, and he scrambled back, staring at her with a gaping mouth.

"Go," he rasped, his body trembling as the connection between him and the intruder was severed. Still, he felt the bitterness of the other soul, and he knew the person was not happy about being pushed back into his own head. "Xion, go. Run. I don't… I don't know where he went, and he wants you. He wants you _dead_!"

"_Who_ wants me dead?" She looked betrayed, her eyes glistening with tears, and he realized she would never trust him again. "You attacked me. I didn't see anyone else."

"It's me," he whispered, pushing himself backwards. "He was inside my head! I can't—" Terra screamed again, feeling the other mind reach into his head. "_Run_!"

She didn't need to be told again. Xion pushed herself to her feet, her backing away slowly for a few moments, before she spun around and fled.

Terra slumped against a tree, his head pounding, and he listened as a voice hissed into his mind, _Fighting will not help you._

"Who are you?" Terra growled pressing his fingers against his temples. "Get out of my head!"

_You know who I am_.

_You know what I am._

_You know why and where._

Terra panted, and the voice settled in his mind, triggering memories he had long since buried. Terra felt nothing but hatred.

"Father," he breathed.

* * *

><p>Kairi awoke on a beach, sand scratching at her new legs. She sat up, her hair tangling around her arms, and she tentatively touched her knee, staring at it with awe. She poked her inner thigh, and giggled, but no sound escaped her lips. She reached up to her throat, tapping it lightly. It took her a few moments to remember she'd given up her voice.<p>

Her memory of the transformation was hazy. She'd drank the potion the faerie king had given her, and soon after she'd passed out from the pain. She didn't feel any pain now though. Her legs felt fine, albeit odd. Kairi pushed herself up, her legs wobbling as she tried to straighten them out. She ended up flopping backwards back into the sand.

Sun glistened on the water, and she wondered what she was going to do now. She wanted to find Ven, to apologize, but she didn't know where he'd be. And she was sure she wouldn't hear his call if he tried it. She realized that even if she did find Ven, she wouldn't be able to apologize. Her voice was gone, and… she really had no idea how to communicate without it.

It had been a stupid idea, but she still felt unbelievably happy. She breathed in the scent of the ocean, noting that the air was fresh tasting, and not suffocating like she was used to. Sucking in a breath, she let herself bask in everything around her.

The beach was cool, a soft breeze tickling her bare skin, and Kairi smiled. She felt chilly for once, her body shuddering as the ocean lapped at her knees. She was so absorbed in her new human senses, she jolted in surprise when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She opened her mouth to scream, but of course no sound came, and she turned quickly to face the person who held her.

She breathed in relief when she saw Riku's glamoured face. He looked down at her sadly, shaking his head. "You're an idiot," he whispered, shrugging off his cloak, draping it over her shoulders. She stared at him, and managed a grateful smile. She mouthed, _Thank you._ He nodded.

"I have no idea what to do with you," he muttered. "Joshua said I can just leave you, but I'm not that cruel. I'm debating asking that Neku kid if he can lend a hand."

Kairi blinked, recalling the telepath boy, and she nodded eagerly. Someone able to read her mind would definitely help out. Riku's eyebrows rose. "Yeah, I'll get on that. Until then you can—"

"Riiiiiiiku!" sang a voice from a few yards away. Kairi peered past Riku's arm. Her eyes bulged, and she scrambled to hide behind Riku's cloak.

"Son of a bitch," Riku hissed, straightening up as Sora ran up beside him, his eyes on Kairi.

"Um, Riku," Sora whispered, his mouth dropping open. "There's a naked girl."

"Yes, Sora," Riku pulled Kairi to her feet, and she stumbled, grabbing his shirt to keep her balance. Her knees wobbled pitifully. "I'm going to take her into town, see if someone will take her while I—"

"Stupid!" Sora shouted, grabbing Kairi's arm. She opened her mouth, a silent scream in her throat. "Don't just dump her somewhere!"

"Sora," Riku said calmly, his face expressionless.

"Riku," he replied, scowling up at the silver haired boy.

_Kairi_, she thought, grimacing. She twisted herself, facing Sora with wide eyes. He knew Ven, didn't he? If he could bring her to him… She looked up at Riku, hopefully. "She's mute," Riku said suddenly. "I know what you're thinking, Sora, but she's not your mystery girl."

Kairi stiffened at his words, her eyes flashing to Sora. His expression seemed to be dampened by Riku's comment, but he smiled all the same. "Whether she's the girl who saved me or not, she deserves a little better than being shipped off to some brothel house."

"I wouldn't send her to a brothel," Riku sighed. "I'm disappointed you'd think that of me."

Sora said nothing to reassure him, and he watched Kairi with kind eyes. She smiled at him shyly, realizing this was the first time he'd seen her face. She wanted to tell him it had been her that had saved him, but she understood it was impossible. So she settled on waving at him, and he waved back with a short laugh. She noticed his lip was split, and there was a bruise on his cheek. She tilted her head, and thought of the spell she could've sung to make that go away.

Being speechless was going to be difficult.

* * *

><p>Naminé had woken up in her bed that morning. Without any warning, she'd closed her eyes, and when she opened them she was in her bed again. She couldn't understand how that happened, and when she went to see the wolf, he wasn't in his cage. She'd asked Axel, and he'd told her off for even going down there. She wondered if Roxas would yell if she asked him, but then she remembered she was not allowed to speak with him anymore.<p>

She pressed her lips together and thought about her wall back in the tower. She didn't understand her own logic anymore. Was being a prisoner in a tower much worse than being a prisoner on a pirate ship? She knew some would say it was better, but she had a different idea. In her heart, she wanted to be here. She had something to do, and she had to find out what it was. She had a purpose, didn't she? The wolf knew her, even if she didn't know him. Perhaps her answers were in that cell.

Now she was sitting alone, her veil in her lap and her hair falling loose around her legs. She was waiting for Roxas and Axel to return from wherever Vanitas had sent them. She enjoyed talking to them, even if Axel hated her.

She spotted them before anyone else did, and she frowned, leaning over the rail. Axel pushed a scrawny looking boy forward, scowling as he stumbled. Naminé squinted, rising to her feet, and her veil slipped to the ground. She ran to the ramp, her hair trailing behind her, and she grasped the rail tightly as Roxas trudged up the wooden ramp, managing to throw her a spare smile. Axel and the boy came right behind him, faster and more alert.

"Who's that?" she asked, pointing to the boy. He looked up at her, his blue eyes shining with something, determination perhaps, scruffy blue hair falling jaggedly across his cheeks.

"A prisoner," Axel said sharply, turning the boy's face from Naminé's.

She trailed behind them as they nudged the boy toward the mast, keeping quiet enough for Axel not to snap at her. Roxas did not acknowledge her again, but she knew it was because Vanitas was near. She understood it was for the best. The boy was scowling, but he did not betray any fear, and for that Naminé found herself admiring him. The first time she'd been brought onto the ship her legs had given out beneath her, and Vanitas had literally dragged her across the deck.

She flinched when the boy was thrown to his knees. He kept his head bowed until Vanitas stepped through the crowd of crew members, his body held with an air of pride. She stuck close to the mast, trying to blend into the shadows of the ship. Vanitas stood before the boy, taking the silence to a level that made her skin crawl. Everyone seemed interested in the boy, unlike her own arrival.

"Her hair is gone," he said suddenly, turning his head to Axel. Axel's eyebrows raised, and he choked on his own laughter.

"I'm a boy!" the boy growled, raising his eyes to the helmeted captain.

"You do not _look_ like a boy." The crew snickered at this, but Naminé could only think of Roxas's comment the night before, and she scowled. "Who are you, if not the girl I sent for?"

"Her brother," the boy spat, glaring up at Vanitas with a boldness that Naminé desperately envied. "Calder."

"Calder." Vanitas seemed to test the name as he drew his sword and pressed it to the boy's neck. She gasped softly, pushing through the crowd. "Why would I want you, Calder? I asked for a woman, a girl of Light who lives in shadows. Who are you, but an idiotic child?" Calder cringed as the blade punctured his flesh, and blood dribbled against his jugular.

"Don't kill him!" Naminé cried, grabbing Vanitas's arm. He looked at her sharply, and she could almost feel his fiery eyes burn on her skin. "He could be useful to you!"

"Oh, shut up." He pushed her away, and she stumbled, tripping over her hair and her back slammed against the deck. She pushed herself onto her elbows, tears prickling in her eyes.

"Please, Vanitas, you can't!" She looked up as Roxas pulled her to her feet, and she nodded to him gratefully. "Isn't he so much more useful than a girl anyway? You can put him to work."

Vanitas turned to look at her. "Did I not just tell you to shut up, stupid girl?" He looked at Roxas. "Let go of her or I'll have your hands." Roxas dropped her arm and flung his hands into the air.

"Only undoing your mistakes, sir," Roxas said with a wane smile. "Not all of us can be pricks to the girl, can we?"

There was a pause from Vanitas, and Naminé stared at him hopefully. He said, "You can't see it, but I'm rolling my eyes right now. Back away from her, Roxas, or I will make you regret ever looking at her face."

"Yes, captain." Roxas bowed his head and stepped back. Naminé sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears. It didn't seem as if Vanitas was going to beat her, so she considered prying further. Once he turned to face Calder again, the boy raised his head high.

"The lass is right, captain." The boy looked around, a small smile gracing his lips. "I think I'm capable of being a part of this crew, if you'd have me."

Vanitas seemed to be staring at him for a short while, before he laughed loudly. "What makes you so sure of that, _Calder_?"

The boy shrugged and looked to Naminé, who was pleading in her mind that Vanitas would show him mercy. "Pit me against one of your men," Calder said, his gaze fixing upon Vanitas once more. "Then we shall see."

Naminé almost groaned. This boy was going to be trouble, she could tell from his pride. But she kept quiet and watched as Vanitas began to laugh again, this one harsher than usual. "As you wish!" he hooted, pulling his sword from his jugular. He walked past him and slashed through his bonds with a swift cut. Calder's eyebrows raised and he rolled his shoulders. He stood up, his face going stony, and he watched as Vanitas prodded Roxas with the pummel of his sword.

"Fight him," Vanitas said. Roxas's eyes widened, and he looked up at Axel. The man was expressionless, so he was forced to step forward.

"Captain, he's not armed," Roxas murmured, his hands on his hilt.

"That's not my problem." Naminé's eyes widened, and she shook her head. Would Roxas kill a defenseless boy? He was a pirate, but it just didn't seem like him to do so. He was kinder than the rest of them. Even as he raised his sword to Calder, she could see regret flashing in his eyes. He did not want this.

She stepped behind Axel, chewing on her lip. _Be brave_, she told herself. _It will pay off_. She eyed Axel's blade, which was hanging in its scabbard, and she reached out, grasping the hilt with two tiny hands. By the time Axel looked down at her, she'd already yanked it halfway out of its sheath, and when he cried out she had it in her hands. It weighed down her arms, the tip touching the wooden floor. She ducked Axel's arm as he tried to grab her, and she tossed the sword onto the deck.

"Fight!" she squeaked as Axel caught her by the hair and dragged her backwards against his chest. She smiled as Calder scooped up the sword, brandishing it against Roxas, who smiled as well. It seemed he was perfectly fine with fighting as long as it was fair.

Naminé closed her eyes when their swords met with a clang. She didn't want to see Roxas getting hurt, but at the same time she didn't want to see him hurting anyone. She was glad Axel was holding her, or else she might've sunken to her knees with fear. Her heart was pounding, and she continued to tell herself that she needed to be brave. She wanted to be a person who could be useful, not a silly damsel.

When she opened her eyes, Roxas was swinging his blade, only to have Calder slide away, retaliating quickly with a swift blow to the side. The sound of ripping fabric made her wince, but otherwise Roxas seemed to be fine, moving out of the way just in time. Naminé was awed by Calder's agility, his body moving slower than Roxas's but much more fluidly. She wondered if he would win, and she hoped that no bloodshed would be involved.

Roxas let his sword clash against Calder's and they smirked at each other. They moved toward and away from each other, a dance of metal and litheness. They seemed to understand each other's movements before they moved, and with every parry, with every strike, Naminé felt herself absorbed in the entirety of the sport. How did they manage it? Not getting hit, spiraling and slashing, and always one step ahead of the other.

She gasped when Calder flipped over Roxas's head and grabbed him by the neck, Axel's sword sliding under the boy's chin. "I win," Calder declared, glowering at Vanitas. "Let me join your crew."

"Aren't you going to kill him?" Vanitas pointed to Roxas, who didn't seem to be fazed by the fact that he was moments away from having his life ended. Suddenly Calder didn't seem so confident.

"No," he said, frowning down at Roxas. "I don't wish to kill him." _Good_, Naminé thought. _He's kind_.

Vanitas sputtered with his laughter, and Naminé shrunk back. "You want to be part of this crew?" Vanitas asked, a sneer in his tone. "Kill him."

"No!" Naminé cried, and Axel squeezed her shoulder. He seemed to go rigid at Vanitas's words as well, but he said nothing.

"He was a worthy opponent," Calder said.

"I don't care." Vanitas stepped forward. "Kill him or I'll kill you. Simple."

"Vanitas," Roxas gasped. "Vanitas, this is cruel, even for you. He beat me, you don't have to—"

"_Kill_ him, or I'll kill you _both." _

"_Don't_," Naminé sobbed, reaching up and grabbing Axel's hand. She looked up at him, but he did not seem to have a reaction to any of this. "Please don't kill anyone."

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Vanitas snarled at her. She shrunk against Axel's chest, tears trailing down her cheeks. So much for being brave.

"Kill me," Roxas said. "Calder, do it. You have to."

"No way!" Calder moved the sword from Roxas's throat, and Vanitas moved toward them, his hands on his hilt. Roxas shook his head.

"Do it," he hissed. "Do it now!"

"No!" Calder's voice raised in pitch, desperation and fear sending it cracking. "I'm not killing him, alright?"

Vanitas stepped toward the two boys, his sword raised now. "This is a pirate ship," he said. "Killing is part of the job. Now, show me you have what it takes, and slit his throat."

Calder's hand was trembling when Vanitas stepped behind him, taking it in his own. Naminé felt herself moving forward, her screams muffled by Axel's hand, and she wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. Vanitas moved his hand, and Roxas sighed, squeezing his eyes shut as the blade pressed back against his throat. Her sobs were barely heard amongst the chuckling around them. How could they be so cruel?

She watched with wide eyes as the blade opened Roxas's throat, blood spewing from his jugular, and it splattered the deck floor.

* * *

><p><em>Wow, now this is what I call a loaded chapter. Like, shit, I didn't even realize until I reread this how much shit goes down! I'm glad I didn't spread it out, though, I need this story to move faster. <em>

_Dang, Roxas, I don't think I even meant for you to be my first kill. IT WAS A HAPPY ACCIDENT. Oh, no TWEWY characters in this one. That's sad. I feel like they just belong in the story now. They're too fascinating to not expand on._

_Mmm, if anyone wonders why Aqua didn't stop Vanitas, I'll give you the answer right now. I'm trying to make all these characters humanly flawed, even AQUA, who is like the poster child of strength, and I wanted to show that shock can stunt our thinking. Her body wouldn't move when she wanted it to, and she still wasn't sure what was happening when Vanitas decided to be the guiding hand._

_Also Ho Yay on Vanitas's side, because he's one of the handful of characters I accept as bisexual. I just get the vibe from him. JOIN WITH ME, HERE AND NOW, he says to ven probs with a straight face. like hey dude did anyone ever explain to you how homoerotic subtext works? I wonder what Eraqus would have done in Xehanort's place. "VANITAS, ONE MUST NOT INDULGE IN THE SWEET ASS OF OTHER MEN, it makes for a very bad experience, please trust me."_

_I'm sorry, am I really making jokes about Vanitas's sexual frustration again? Damn, those never leave me. I really shouldn't explain the importance of serious flaws in a character and Vanitas's many many many sexual innuendos back to back._

_seriously though can we appreciate that no one on the team played back some of his scenes and went, "HMM. THAT SOUNDS KIND OF DIRTY. ISN'T THIS A DISNEY GAME?" they must've been like, "oh look boobies bouncing, nevermind, gay subtext ahoy, it's getting an e10+ rating."_


	13. Tell No Secrets

**{tell no secrets}**

Roxas fell to the deck with a wet _smack_. His blood pooled around him, and his body convulsed for a short moment as he bled out, before he went limp. Aqua tore her hand from the captain's, her heart pounding hard. She'd known that one day she'd have to kill someone, but Roxas had been incredibly kind for a pirate, and if Aqua didn't know any better she'd say he was completely innocent.

She should've fought Vanitas's guiding hand, but the fear of death had caught her in a stupor. She closed her eyes as the crew began to laugh, and she knew her life would never be simple again. The small girl who had thrown her the sword was quiet now, her eyes sadly on Roxas's bloody face. Aqua spun to face Vanitas.

"You're awful," she said, her voice darkened by her guilt. "He didn't need to die!"

Vanitas laughed along with the crew, and Aqua felt her heart sink. She'd stepped into a hell worse than anything she could have imagined. At least being a soldier had meaning. Being a pirate was all selfishness and dishonor. She breathed in hope to calm her nerves, bending down in front of Roxas. His eyes had opened at the last moment, and they stared at her glassily. She reached forward to slide his lids over his foggy gaze, but a hand caught her wrist.

She clamped her own hand over her mouth to stifle a scream as the dead boy sat up, blood pouring from the slit in his throat. His eyes were still foggy with death, despite the fact that the were moving inside his eye sockets, flickering blindly.

"Oh gods," Aqua gasped, watching numbly as the blood around her rippled and rose into the air, pulling itself back into Roxas's wound. She wanted to scream, or retch. "What kind of magic is this…?"

"Blood magic," a soft voice breathed. Aqua jumped, the voice of the small girl startling her. She was standing right beside her, her eyes wide.

"How?" Aqua jumped to her feet. "How can he still be alive?"

"Should've warned you," Roxas croaked, the light returning to his eyes at last. He rubbed his throat and glared up at Vanitas. "We can't die."

"'We'?" Her eyes flickered to Vanitas, and then around the ship. "You're kidding."

"It's true," a man said with a sly grin. He stepped up beside Vanitas, his ponytail swinging behind him. "Nothing can kill us, green boy." Aqua gave him a long look, wondering if he could sense her irritation. This man had the look of a guy you just wanted to whack in the jaw, with a smile so arrogant it made her stepsisters look modest. His one eye followed her movements as she backed away carefully, the hue of it reminding her of the fae, Larxene.

"Nothing?" She wanted to doubt it, say that no one was invincible, but what she had just witnessed was too much. "So all of you… you're not only pirates, but monsters as well?" She shook her head. "What value am I to the undead?"

"You're a pretty good swordsman," Roxas admitted with a short laugh, rubbing his neck with a wince. "But you knew that when we took you, obviously."

Aqua turned to the captain, who had his arms folded across his chest. His helmet would not betray his expression, so she glowered at him and snarled, "What do _you_ wish to do with me?"

She expected him to laugh again, to taunt her, call her names, or maybe beat her. He did nothing for a while, his body still as stone for the length of a minute. Then he said calmly, "Work you until you wish to die. And when you wish to die, make it so you never will." He then turned and made his way to the wheel of the ship.

It was a promise, she realized as Axel dragged her away from the crowd. She felt ready to throw the contents of her stomach overboard.

* * *

><p>The sting of betrayal was more like a spike driven through her stomach and left there to fester. She thought she could outrun it, and for a short time she did. The fear of death kept her legs moving for hours, and though she grew tired enough to lose consciousness, she continued until her knees gave beneath her. She could not muster tears for her pain, internal or external, but she found that she could scream.<p>

She wasn't sure how long she'd been there, or how she'd fallen asleep, but when she awoke the sun was in the middle of the sky, and there was a supremely large insect on her arm.

Xion attempted to scream, but her throat was too raw, and her tongue was heavy in her mouth. She settled for swatting the insect away, and its wings made a soft tinkling sound as it pushed away from her arm and suspended itself beside her. Xion stared at it for a long time, awe coming over her when she realized its face was vaguely humanoid. It stared back at her with curious black eyes, and when it smiled its tiny teeth appeared to be crooked black thorns.

It sat on her arm, its head tilted back. "Do you fear me?" it asked, it's voice vacant, almost as if the wind's whistle had a voice.

"What are you?" she croaked. She wanted to keep her mind off Terra's betrayal and focus on the creature, but she knew she sounded distant and scared. Perhaps that's what the creature wanted.

"A pixie." It frowned and stood on her arm. "I can make myself appear larger if you'd like. Human, even."

"Human," she whispered. "Please."

The pixie shrugged and jumped off her arm. It settled amongst the leaves beside her, its little green toes wiggling against the dirt, and the shadow beneath it rose up and devoured the pixie in one sweeping motion. Xion stared, aghast, and she scrambled away from the shadow as quickly as she could manage. When she looked back, there was a girl standing where the tiny pixie had stood, no older than Xion herself. She wore a dress of thistles, and they swayed gently when the wind picked up.

Xion sat up straight, and her eyes widened considerably as she took in the pixie girl. She looked plainly human now, tinier than Xion, with a slim face and large blue eyes. Her hair was blonde, the same length as Xion's, and her smile was still on her lips. Though it was far less frightening now.

"You're… magical," she breathed, pushing herself to her knees. She ached all over, and she was still tired and jolted from Terra's attack, but she was so amazed by the fact that something that seemed to fly out of one of her storybooks was here. "What are you doing here?"

"Protecting you." The girl giggled. "At least until someone else shows up. I'm not entirely made for combat." She tilted her head, and a little bell clanged on her neck. "What's your name?"

"Xion," she said. The pixie walked toward her, her bare feet scraping across the forest floor. Her smile was kind, and she looked more like a child when she wore it.

"You're very special, Xion," the pixie said, extending her hand to Xion.

"What do you mean?" she asked weakly, letting the girl pull her to her feet.

The wind rustled the forest around them, just as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. Xion blinked as the girl patted her head and began to lead her forward. "I'm not really sure myself," she admitted, looking up. "But we're going to make sure nothing happens to you."

"What about my brother?"

The girl stiffened at this, though she kept her gaze ahead of her. "I…" She bit her lip. "I don't know, he's… not anything I've ever seen before. You can ask Riku."

"Who is that?" Xion stopped, yanking on the pixie's arm to still her as well. "Who are _you_?"

She winced at that, and she nodded. She was sad now, her entire face falling into dismay. "Sorry," she sighed. "You can call me Rhyme. I'm a servant. Your servant, if you'd like."

"I don't need a servant." Xion thought Rhyme was sweet, but she wanted to believe she could take care of herself.

"That's fine." Rhyme smiled. "A friend, then?"

Xion nodded eagerly, the thought of making her own friend too irresistible. She let Rhyme drag her off, not sure about the direction or the destination, and only focusing on the fact that she was moving, and that she would be okay. Rhyme had a tiny hand, and the silence was often cut by the sound of the wind rustling leaves, or her tiny bell ringing around her neck.

When Xion was brought before a cottage of black stone, she felt herself pull back from fear. Rhyme turned to look at her, and she smiled gently. "Don't worry," she said softly. "You're safe here."

There was something about her voice that was overwhelmingly soothing, and immediately Xion was moving again. She did not ask anymore questions, and she hung on every word as Rhyme explained the where everything was in the cottage. When she sat down at a small table, Xion felt exhaustion hit her, and she sat across from her.

"I want to go home," Xion whispered, staring at her hands.

Rhyme's face was unreadable, her gaze moving from Xion's face to another part of the room, and back again. She looked like she was struggling to keep her emotions in check, her lips twitching as if she had something she wanted to say, but she couldn't.

"I'm so sorry," she said softly. "I think… everybody wants to go home. But home is where you make it, Xion."

She was quiet for a short time, her eyes finding Rhyme's across the table. The cottage was small, but it was warm, and it had a charm to it. Xion had no friend but Terra, but she knew there was a certain sadness in Rhyme's face, something she'd seen in the eyes of some servants. Xion was certain she had that look about her now as well.

"You've lost someone too." Xion didn't say it to be mean, or to see the girl's face fall. She'd only observed the fact that the girl was like her, and that she was obviously trying not to think about it.

Rhyme nodded slowly, her fingers rising to her neck, to the bell on the strap. "It was a very long time ago," she said, shaking her head. She smiled suddenly. "You shouldn't worry about it, it's not your problem at all."

"How do you expect me not to care?" Xion leaned back, folding her arms across her chest. "I think right now I can understand better than anyone how you feel. You can tell me."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Rhyme bit her lip and turned away. She stood up and walked to the window, her fingers fiddling with the bell. "I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"Why not?" Speaking to someone made feel less pain from Terra's betrayal, and she wanted to know how Rhyme _dealt_ with it.

"He said I shouldn't bother you with stuff like that." Rhyme shrugged. "I don't think you'd want to know anyway."

"I do want to know." She smiled a little and stood up. "We're friends now, right? You can tell me anything if you want."

Rhyme glanced back at Xion, her fingers still on the bell, and she smiled as well. Nodding, she leaned her back against the window. "I was separated from my brother," she said quietly. "He was the only person in the world who made me feel normal, even if he wasn't… really my brother. He didn't care about that."

"Why were you separated?" Xion felt a surge of empathy, knowing that they seemed to be in the same boat at this point.

Rhyme took a deep breath. "I was sick," she said. "Too sick to keep pretending I was human. At that point I began reacting to anti-faerie things like iron, and eventually I was so close to dying that I got taken away."

"So you when you were younger you were human?" Xion frowned. "Who saved you?"

Rhyme tilted her head. "You ask a lot of questions," she laughed. "I was never human. I just looked like one to keep my human family from shoving an iron rod down my throat. Also, I was saved by—"

"That's enough, Rhyme."

Xion spun around. Her eyes widened as the faerie man stepped into the cottage, shutting the door behind him, and Xion looked back at the blonde girl. She had grown pale, but she kept her smile.

"Yes, I'm sorry." She shook her head. "Give up the smallest part of a secret, and the rest is no longer in your power."

The silver haired faerie rose an eyebrow. "Uh, I guess. Just be careful what you say, alright? I don't want you to get into any trouble."

"That's kind of you." She pushed off from the window with a short ring of her bell. "Xion, this is Riku. He's here to protect you."

Xion glanced up at him. She squinted at his face, noting a certain familiarity to it. "Do I know you?"

Riku glanced at her, nodding slowly. "We met last night I believe," he said, his eyes on Rhyme as she moved toward the door. "Hey, can you get me in touch with your telepathic friend?"

She looked up at him, surprised. Xion stood still, her grip on the table as Rhyme nodded. "Sure," she said. "What for, exactly? He won't meet with you if it's not worth his time, sorry to say."

He rolled his eyes at this. "A newly mute friend of mine is having trouble adjusting. I was hoping he might translate for a bit."

Rhyme smiled. "He's not that nice," she said sadly. "But I'll see what he says, he might see some good in it to protect her from Joshua."

"Speaking of," Riku said, catching her arm as she attempted to leave. "I get the human thing, almost, but I don't see why he keeps a pixie around him so closely. You've known him for a while, haven't you?"

Rhyme blinked at him, her smile softening, and she winked at him as she slipped from his grasp as easily as a snake. "Give up the smallest part of a secret, and the rest is no longer in your power," she echoed as she stepped out the door.

Riku wrinkled his nose. "Pixies," he muttered, shaking his head. "Can't resist being tricky, can they?"

"She's nice," Xion said, watching him warily. "Really nice."

Riku eyed her for a few moments. "You trust too easily," he sighed, plopping down in a chair.

* * *

><p>Kairi spent the first few days adjusting to legs with Sora at her side. He chatted often to her, never really caring that she was mute, and Kairi nodded along with him. He mentioned his reservations about his parents finding out about her, and she grew nervous. What if they didn't allow her to see Sora anymore? She didn't know what she'd do, and being newly human, she was growing mad with fear.<p>

"I wish I had something to call you," he was saying, leading her by the arm. She was still struggling with walking, but she was much better than she been a few days before. "Are you sure you can't remember anything?"

She nodded, fiddling with the skirt of the dress he'd given her. She stepped carefully, watching her feet move against the cobble. The imperial city of the Skylands was pretty with its high arches, and large buildings with expansive windows. Everything seemed to be bathed in a blue hue, and the more she looked around, the more she noticed how the architecture seemed to bring light to everything.

Kairi stopped, her eyes falling on the boy who sat only a few yards away. He did not see her, too absorbed in whatever he was doing. She squinted, noticing he was leaning over a fire. Sora seemed to spot him at the same time she did.

"Oh, hey!" he gasped, waving his arms. "Ven!" Kairi winced when he ran forward, beckoning her to come with him. She followed slowly, her mind leaping to conclusions before she could stop it. Ven had to still be angry with her, and he definitely would not be happy. But maybe once he realized that she was human now…

"Ven!" Sora stopped before the fire, and he glanced around. "Wow, this is weird. You're all out in the open, working like a normal person!"

Ven looked up at him and laugh. "Well, believe it or not I _do_ work sometimes! Just not usually. Also, this is a personal project."

"When did you learn how to smith?" Sora leaned forward to examine the sword in Ven's grasp, but he set it aside quickly.

"Years ago." Ven shrugged, his eyes falling on Kairi. She looked away when his face fell, and he stepped back in shock. "What…?"

"Oh!" Sora clapped Kairi on the shoulder, his eyes wide with excitement. "This is a friend of mine! Riku and I found her on the beach, and we're taking care of her until she can find her family."

Ven looked as if he was trying to speak, but he couldn't seem to find the words. Sora seemed to be oblivious to this as he reached for the sword Ven had been tending to. "Who's this for, then?"

He tore his eyes from Kairi's face, and she felt guilt swarm her once again. At least she was human now, she told herself. "Uh, that girl from the ball," Ven said cautiously, pushing Sora's hand away. "I told her I'd make her one."

"Oh, right!" Sora nodded. "The girl with blue hair, right? Gods, I wonder how she got that."

"Maybe she's descended from the Isles," Ven murmured. "Who knows."

"I thought you hated the Skylands." Sora tilted his head, looking around as a few people passed the forge. No one took much notice to him, which Kairi thought odd. "You always preferred the isles."

"Who wouldn't prefer the Isles?" Ven laughed, sheathing the sword. "I don't hate the Skylands, I just… don't like coming here."

"Fair enough," Sora hummed as Ven brushed past him. "Do you know where Riku is? I haven't seen him in a few days."

"I'm the wrong person to ask, Sora," Ven said, smiling. "He's probably busy with something."

"Busy?" Sora grumbled. "When did _Riku_ get a life?"

Kairi giggled silently, and Ven laughed beside her. "I'm not going to answer that." Ven shrugged on a jacket and glanced at Kairi, his eyes questioning her without really saying it. She gave him a weak smile, and watched as he walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sora shouted after him.

"Got a delivery to make!"

* * *

><p>Naminé sat across from Calder, her hair pooling around her feet. She observed the way Axel treated her, the odd look that crossed his face when he realized Naminé was there, and he stopped teasing Calder. The blue haired boy looked at her, his eyes curious.<p>

"So why are you here?" he asked, pushing the flagon of gin away when Axel offered it to him. "I mean, Vanitas doesn't seem the type to keep you out of the goodness of his heart."

Roxas looked up at this, the look that crossed his face dark. "Don't be so sure," he said, grabbing the flagon from Axel. Calder looked surprised, but Axel simply stared ahead with a blank expression as Roxas took a long swig.

"I don't know," Naminé admitted, staring at Roxas as he fought off Axel for the gin. "He keeps me around for his own reasons. No one tells me why."

"You're better off not knowing, princess," Axel laughed, pushing Roxas's head playfully. Calder watched her with a sad expression, and he pulled his knees to his chest.

"Why did he want me?" he murmured. He fiddled with the cuff of his trousers, ignoring Axel as he scooted closer to her.

"That's something he's keeping under wraps, which I honestly don't get, but hey." Axel shrugged. "You know, you're taking all of this in a stride. The immortality thing."

"I'm just angry with myself for not fighting Vanitas off," Calder sighed, looking at Roxas. "I'm sorry about that. I don't know why I let him kill you."

Roxas gave a short laugh, and he shook his head. "I wanted you to kill me," he said. "Next time just do what he says. Don't question it."

"But I don't want to kill anyone!" Calder looked angry, his fists clenching in his lap.

"You should've thought of that earlier." Axel tipped back the flagon, and Naminé watched as he downed the whole of it in a few gulps. She stared at him, her thoughts moving onward to the fact that he hated her for some unexplained reason. She thought about the wolf, and her dreams, and she wished she had paint to keep the memory of it all fresh in her mind. She knew vaguely some of the contents of her dreams, but as time went on she was forgetting the details.

"I have to go," Roxas said suddenly, jumping to his feet. Axel looked up, startled. Calder sat up straight and stared at him curiously.

"Are you turning in?" Calder's eyes widened. "It's still so early. Don't you have any nighttime chores?"

"That's actually what we have to do," Axel said slowly, pushing himself to his feet. "Chores. Vanitas needs us."

"Well see if you can get some information out of him," Calder said, frowning as Roxas moved fast across the room. "I'd like to know my purpose here!"

"Sure!" he called back, Axel right behind him. They left Calder and Naminé to themselves, and the girl began to play with the hem of her veil. Calder watched her for a while, his eyes seeming to soften with pity.

"How old are you?"

Naminé shifted uncomfortably. "Fourteen," she said quietly. "And you?"

"Seventeen." He pressed his lips together when she gave him a look of shock. "Yes, I know I don't look my age."

"Sorry," she blurted. "I was just surprised."

Calder shook his head and smiled. "It's not a problem. How long have you been here?"

She looked around the cabin, trying to recall the amount of time she'd been aboard the ship. But she couldn't not the exact time anyway. "A few weeks, I think," she said. "I wish I knew why I was here, though. It might make things easier."

"I can agree with you there." Calder stood up, stretching his arms up above his head. "When I figure out what that monster wants with me, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he doesn't get what he wants."

Naminé looked up, surprised at the older boy's words. "What if he hurts you?" she murmured.

"Don't worry about that." Calder smiled at her, and he turned to the window. "Gods, they said we're heading towards the Isles, yeah?"

"Yes, I believe so." She squinted at the horizon, noting the deep red sun as it sunk into the sea. "I don't know why."

"I don't expect you to," he sighed, rubbing his face. "I think I'm going to head out. There's a letter I need to write."

"He won't let you send it," Naminé said. Her fingers tightened around her veil, and she wondered about this boy as well, and his role in the grand scheme of things. She thought about the wolf again, and the silver haired boy, and her own connection to Vanitas. She wished she could understand her dreams, or at the very least remember them.

"I know," Calder whispered. "But writing it will make me feel better."

* * *

><p>Terra was more than distraught. From the moment he'd gotten control of his body again, he'd spent hours looking for Xion, losing himself in the expanse of the forest. The heat had gotten the better of him, and a few hours into his search he'd blacked out, awakening when the darkness was so thick, he could not see anything around him, and with his head buzzing from dehydration<p>

They found him a day later, and he still wasn't sure what had happened between waking up that first night, and being force fed berries by a knight almost the next afternoon. Apparently he'd gone half insane, begging them to find Xion, but they insisted they could not locate her. He refused to speak to anyone when he returned to the castle, and for a while he kept himself in his room.

He never meant to hurt Xion. He imagined her corpse, laying in that coffin of glass, rotting slowly as her skin paled and sagged. The more he tried to push the idea out of his head, the more he panicked. This was all his fault, and he had to accept that fact. He feared for her life, and he felt sick when he thought about what was going through her mind, how betrayed she had looked in those last moments.

He ordered a search for her, but everyone he sent turned up empty handed. They had no idea where Xion had gone, and all they could come up with was that she was dead, and Terra could not accept it.

It was a few days after the ball when he went to his mother, whose voyage was delayed because of the sudden disappearance of the princess. He stood in the doorway as she played with one of the glass shoes on the table. She looked up at him, a poisonous smile on her lips, and she leaned back.

"I heard you recovered alright," she said, patting the seat beside her. Terra stared at her, his anger spiking suddenly. He pushed away from the entrance, and in a few strides he had his mother's slender neck in his hands. The surprise in her eyes was satisfying, but he could not contain his wrath, not with the thought of Xion's starvation plaguing him.

"Why?" he growled, his fingers tightening. She spluttered, her voice rasping as she tried to compose herself. "Why would you even risk contacting him? I didn't think you were that desperate!"

"Obviously not," she spat. She turned her head, her face filling with disgust. "I really don't know why you didn't expect this."

Angry tears prickled at his eyes, and he slammed her head against the back of the couch. "You told him how to get to me!" He spun away from her, feeling like a child again. The tears on his cheeks were a mixture of rage and fear, and he despised that she could see his weakness.

"He knew how to get to you before I contacted him." She rubbed her neck and scowled. "I was just giving him a reason to do so."

Terra covered his face with his hands, his body going rigid as a wizened face was pulled from his memory. "He used me to try and kill Xion," Terra whispered. "You let him take my body from me."

"Oh please!" His mother's eyes were alight with malice. "Did you expect him to leave you be forever? Terra, be smart."

"I thought we cut ties with him," Terra said, glaring back at her. "A long time ago!"

Her laugh was hoarse, but it struck a cord all the same. What a fool he was to think his father would be out of his life for good. Terra turned and walked to the door, beckoning for a guard to step in. He did, a serious expression on his pale face. Terra recognized him as the knight who had saved him, and a good friend of his.

"Zack," Terra said, his voice quivering with rage. "I want her gone before morning."

Zack's eyes widened for a moment, but he nodded without hesitation. "Of course, sir," he said curtly. "Is that all?"

Terra's jaw slackened as he began to think about the forest, and the area it was in. It took up much of the Northen parts of the Heartlands, stretching into the Skylands and wrapping around its western coast, up into the Wastelands. If Xion was anywhere, it was sure to be the Skylands at this point. And now he had to make a choice.

"I need you to contact the king of the Skylands," Terra said, looking at Zack's face and noting his surprise. "Tell him I want to meet with him as soon as possible."

"Terra, the last time the kings of the Heartlands and Skylands were in the same room, they started a war." Terra smiled at the confusion in Zack's features, and he shook his head.

"Good thing I'm not a king, then," he said, moving past his friend.

"Oh, Terra," his mother called. "I do hope you're not too broken up over your… friend's disappearance."

Terra paused, glancing at Zack, who merely shrugged. He turned back to his mother, who was examining the glass slippers again. "What?" Terra asked flatly.

"Your friend," she yawned. "The one who I presume wore these abominations? Sad, I heard she was taken to be some sort of slave to a pirate." She hid a giggle in her hand, and it hit Terra suddenly what she was implying.

"You…?" he gasped, backing away, and his shoulder bumped against Zack's. "Was Xion not enough? You had to take Aqua away as well!" He spun around, terror and guilt enveloping him. This was all his fault. Everything he'd done to help them had ended up putting them in more danger than he could have possibly imagined.

"Was that her name?" The queen set down the slipper, her lips twisting into a sneer. "Pity that. She was such a pretty little thing."

* * *

><p><em>I still count Roxas as my first kill. Shanna, if you skipped to the author's note again, go up and read the first bit.<em>

_So... less to say than last time. Not as much happened. Time skip of a few days. Also a bit of Rhyme's past is revealed, that's nice. She was fun this chapter._

_Except it's really easy to forget her quirk with the proverbs. Like, damn, I have to remind myself to go look up proverbs for her lines. The secret one worked pretty well. I'm glad I found it._

_Surprise! Quick update. Shanna actually reviewed really quickly, and I finished the chapter I was working on, so I was like, "Well, shit. Now I better actually update before I'm five chapters ahead again."_

_Also I changed the summary again. I wanted something shorter and more eye-catching. _

_Terra's mom is really fun to write. It's a shame I'm taking her away from him, I'd like to see him kill her. Hmm. Maybe later, if someone else doesn't first._

_This is the last you see of Xion for like, two chapters. I know. I'll fix that with the next chapter I write._


	14. Into the Sky

**{into the sky}**

Aqua slumped against the wall, her fingers trembling as she tried to think of what else to write. She wondered if words could convey her regret, her guilt over the last words she spoke to him. She didn't hate him, and that's why she couldn't deal with the fact that her last conversation with him had ended so badly. He'd kept a secret from her, but she was sure she could have gotten over it.

She folded up the parchment, her vision clouding with tears, and she swallowed her sadness. If she was going to pretend to be a man, then she had to make sure they saw her as one. The last thing she needed was a bunch of her new crewmates getting on her case over tears.

Obviously she knew not to let the letter fall into the wrong hands. Aqua wasn't an idiot. She'd burn it, or ask Roxas where to stash something she didn't want the rest of the crew getting to. They obviously knew some places, considering liquor seemed to be a much-coveted item among the pirates, and Axel seemed to have plenty of it.

She was checking the deck for Axel and Roxas when someone stopped her from behind. She turned fast, slapping away the hand that had grabbed her, and then her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the boy's face molding around the shadows.

"Roxas!" she gasped, stepping back. "Shit, you scared me! Where's Axel?"

The boy stared at her for a long moment, his lips twisting into a grimace, and he looked around. No one seemed to notice him, which he seemed to find a relief. "Aqua," he whispered, grabbing her hand. "I can get you out of here. Right now, actually, you just have to trust me, 'kay?"

Her eyes darted down to his hand, and she felt panic spark in her chest as she searched quickly for one of the sneakier pirates, Xigbar in particular. She looked back at Roxas, pulling her hand from his as quickly as possible. "I don't think we should be talking about this," she said nervously.

"You haven't been here long," Roxas whispered urgently. "He obviously hasn't made you take the blood oath, thank the gods for that. You can get out!"

"Stop." She turned away from him, her skin prickling with a chill when she thought of leaving. "I'm not stupid, okay, I understand that I have to be here."

"But you _don't_!" Roxas shrunk back at the sound of his own shout. He groaned as one crewman, a younger boy who was close to Aqua's age took notice to them.

Aqua followed his gaze, and she gaped when the boy cried out in an utterly shocked manner. "What's wrong with him?" Aqua whispered, glancing at Roxas as he tried to tip toe away. "Hey! I'm not done talking to you yet!"

There was an onslaught of running and whispering as more people took notice of Roxas's appearance, and they began to babble in confusion. Roxas glared back at Aqua, and he shook his head. "Just come with me!" he hissed at her.

"Not until you explain!"

Roxas rolled his eyes, tearing his arm from her grasp. "Why can't you trust me?" He looked hurt, but he was suddenly gazing at the crowd that had appeared before them, his eyes falling on Naminé. She stood among them, her tiny body crammed between Xigbar, the resident spy, and Luxord, the gaming fiend. She stared at him blankly, her eyes foggy with sleep. Aqua realized she probably had awoken from the racket above her, considering her room's position to the deck above.

"Who are you?" Naminé called, her groggy voice soft against the sounds of water thrashing, and men murmuring.

Roxas smiled at her. "I've been meaning to ask you that for awhile," he said, taking a step back, his hands reaching out toward the rail behind him. He looked at Aqua. "You sure you don't want to come with me?"

"I don't understand," she said, moving back slowly. Roxas shrugged, and he grinned when Vanitas pushed his way to the front of the crew, his dark form seeming to glow eerily against the outlines of the others.

"Wow, I was wondering when you'd appear." He glanced at Naminé, who was now walking toward him, her movements stiff, and Aqua opened her mouth to mention that she was most likely sleep walking.

Vanitas drew a gun before Roxas could so much as blink, and the boy dove away just before a shot was fire. Aqua frowned, noticing Naminé stumble and fall to her knees, the noise jolting her from her sleep. Aqua stared at Vanitas, her confusion growing to a great extent, and for a very long time she contemplated on why Vanitas was doing this, about what reason he could possibly have. It hit her then, and it hit her hard when she spotted the fiddle strapped across his back.

"Ven?" she whispered, staring at him worriedly. He glanced at her, and he winked, jumping to his feet and grabbing Naminé by the arm. Aqua clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle a shout as he drew a sword, pressing the blade against her neck. She seemed to be too confused to understand his movements, but her strangled gasps were enough for Aqua.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked, stumbling toward him. Ven shook his head, backing up farther against the rail.

He jerked his head at Vanitas. "It's been a while, huh?" he laughed. Aqua felt a crushing feeling in her chest, wondering how she'd misjudged the boy. Then, he winked at her, and tilted his head. "Need her, right?" He pointed to Naminé, who was stuttering to form words.

"Ven, stop," Aqua gasped, stepping toward him. She stopped when Vanitas jerked the gun at her. "This is ridiculous!"

"What's going on?" Naminé asked weakly. Her fingers were against the blade, and her eyes were wide with confusion and fear.

There was a silence around the deck, and Aqua pulled herself back to inspect the scene. Ven was still smiling widely, as if someone had just presented him with a pocket-sized star. He held the trembling Naminé with one hand against her head, and Vanitas seemed to be debating his own chances of shooting Ven without getting the girl instead.

Aqua moved closer to Vanitas, hissing to him, "Where's Roxas?"

Vanitas's head tilted toward her, and he laughed without a reply. "Ventus," he spat. "I honestly never thought I'd see you here again, let alone here to threaten a little girl, please, do continue. You'll do me a favor."

"If you wanted her dead you'd have shot already." Ven's smirk was unnerving, and Aqua pushed herself back against the mast. She didn't like the look of this, and she wasn't sure if she trusted Ven not to slit the girl's throat. She wanted to believe in him, truly, but it was hard when his fist was closed around the grip of a sword that was pressed to a poor girl's neck.

"Now that you have her," Vanitas said calmly. "What will you do with her? You're not the type to kill an innocent girl, and don't spout nonsense about changing, because I know you better than _anyone_."

"Wrong." Ven smiled easily, his eyes fluttering shut. "Roxas knows me the best. Maybe you should ask him whether I'll kill her or not!"

Aqua felt sick to her stomach. She searched the crowd for a sign of Roxas, but all she found was a glimpse of Axel near one of the hatches that lead deep below. She pushed her way to him, her eyes wide with fear. "Get Roxas," she hissed, grabbing him by the arm. "He can stop Ven!"

"No," Axel said, his lips twisting into a grimace. "He can't."

"Why?" Aqua spun around as Ven landed a few feet before her, his grip still on Naminé. She stared at him, and took a step forward, her fingers brushing against the side of the blade facing her, and she pulled back when she felt it slice through her skin. He'd pressed the blunt edge of the sword to her neck. She wasn't in much danger, it was just a show.

"Did you not give this one the basic knowledge about the ship?" Ven rolled his head back at Vanitas. "Aw, that's not nice, he has no idea what's going on."

"Ven," Aqua breathed. "Leave. Now, before he kills you!"

Ven began to laugh, and he spun to face Vanitas, who still had him at gunpoint. Aqua wasn't sure why he hadn't shot yet. Maybe he just really did not want to risk it. "Want to shoot me, Van? I ain't letting her go, but you're a good shot, I think you can put one in my brain easy."

"Shut up." Vanitas's fingers tightened around the gun, and Aqua was awed by the realization that he might be pausing to shoot Ven because of a possible attachment to him. She'd never thought of it. "What are you going to do, then? Carry her off? I'll find you."

"Maybe." Ven licked his lips and grinned. "But most likely not."

"I need her."

"For what?" Ven sounded honestly curious, and Aqua stared as Vanitas dropped his arm to his side, silence enveloping them. She realized she was still clutching at Axel's arm, and she let go, her eyes growing wide enough for the salty air to sting the insides of her eyelids.

"She's the reason why we all suffer," Vanitas spat. "If you truly want her dead, have a bit of patience, and I'll give you her head as a prize for being compliant."

It was an awful suggestion, but Aqua was amazed that Vanitas would reward someone who was trying to ruin everything for him. Perhaps Vanitas had feelings after all. Aqua hated the smile that turned at Ven's lips, and he looked down at Naminé's face.

"Do you wish to die, my lady?"

She stood silently, her eyes on Vanitas, and Aqua saw fear shuddering in the depths of them, but she was keeping herself upright, and utterly still, without a scream or cry. Her cheeks were dry, and her lips were pressed together thinly, but all the same she stared.

"No," she said finally, her voice nearing a quiver. "But if death now is a gift in comparison to what awaits me on another day, then please, do me the favor…"

That seemed to have struck a nerve within Ventus, because once her voice trailed off, he dropped the sword at Aqua's feet. "It's yours," he said with a sheepish laugh, and before anyone could make a grab for him, he was gone. Aqua stared as his body soared through the air, and Naminé's veil fell to the ground, and her long, lovely hair billowed in the wind as she screamed and clutched at Ventus's chest for dear life.

She was gaping, and she turned to look up at Axel. He was watching Ven soar away with a mixture of admiration and jealousy. "I wish I could friggin' fly," he whistled, scooping up the sword from the deck floor. "At least she went with him. I thought I was going to slip up any day now, by telling her and then strangling her. Poor kid."

"Do you have any idea how strange that sounded?" Aqua breathed, squinting into the sky. She was more awed by the fact that Vanitas had let them go than by the flying. Honestly, she'd seen enough of the ship to know magic was about.

"It's not the lass's fault," Axel sighed, glaring at the sky. "I hate her, but whenever I was around her I felt that I couldn't blame her. She was too innocent. If I told her, and she remembered, then I could kill her without guilt. But she's just a kid. A little girl, and I really hate getting my hands dirty."

"What did she do?"

Axel handed the sword to her, his eyes trailing over the glossed blue and white pummel, which was carved into an intricate swirl of a breaking wave. "She made a monster of us," he said. "And a human of herself."

* * *

><p>Terra stepped into the throne room, feeling many eyes fall on his face. The ride to the capital of the Skyland had been shorter than expected, though they had made a few detours to search for Xion. They'd come up with nothing. Now he felt nervous to stand before such a man, a man he knew to be a fierce leader, warrior, and king.<p>

He felt no shame bending the knee. He was no king, and he had no plan on becoming one. He did not lift his head until he was bid, and when he did he noticed the confusion in the king's long features. He was a blond man, and spikes seemed to erupt from his very scalp. He watched Terra with cold blue eyes before he looked to his wife.

"I've never seen a king kneel before another," he said, his voice hinting at humor, but his face so serious that Terra couldn't quite tell.

"Nor have I!" The queen's voice was much more chipper, her smile a token of admiration. She was very comely, a brunette beauty who kept her hair in a tight braid, though a bit of it curled at her ears and rested at her shoulders. There was a pink ribbon in her hair, delicately wrapped into a bow.

Terra smiled back at her, though he was not sure how it appeared on his face. Aqua had always told him that his smiles were rare, but when they appeared they made him look like a knight a young girl might imagine in tales and songs. Rare and stunning, like a pearl, she'd said. Was that true? Did his smile make much of a difference on his face?

"I'm no king, your grace," he said, rising to his feet.

The king seemed to frown at this. "You _are_ ruling the Heartlands, aren't you?"

"Only for a short while, I hope." Terra wondered how he should phrase his plea, and he wished he knew more about the king of the sky. "You see, I am not a rightful heir to the throne by any means, and I do not think I'd be suitable for it. When I told my mother as a forewarning that I was sending her away to keep my stepsister, Xion, safe, she jumped at the chance to get rid of her as quickly as possibly."

"That's awful," the queen murmured, glancing at her son, who was staring at Terra strangely. Terra remembered him quite clearly, and he didn't let his gaze linger longer than it needed to on the boy.

"I lost her in the forest," Terra admitted. He was embarrassed to say those words, because they weren't true. He'd driven her off in hopes of saving her. If his father had completely taken over… Terra understood everyone was better off this way. "Days ago. I believe that she went north, and if she did, she's bound to be in the Skylands."

"If she's alive."

Terra swallowed his mind still trying to swerve around that one. "Yes," he said thickly. "If she's alive."

"You ask for our permission?" The king seemed to grow more and more curious by the moment.

"I'm asking for your allegiance." Terra couldn't help but roll his eyes at the eruption of murmurs across the court. "I honestly don't like the idea of having a sizeable, fairly amicable country being the enemy of my sister's. I want to sort that out before we find her, so she doesn't have to deal with any large political issues first thing."

"Amicable?" The king's frowned deepened. "I don't think I've ever been called amicable before. Aerith?"

"No," she said with a bright smile. "Oh, no, never amicable. Angry, angst-ridden, perhaps?"

Sora laughed beside his mother, covering his mouth to hide it. The king managed to crack a smile, and he nodded. "Yes, that sounds about right." He straightened in his chair. "So you want our countries to finally put aside our differences? I must admit, I never thought this day would come."

"The Heartlands are not war crazed as they once were." Terra shook his head, and he looked to Zack, who was standing at the far end of the hall. His helm hid his face, and Terra felt a sudden weight of loneliness. He might ask about Aqua as well, but later, when there were less people. "I don't see why two neighboring countries can't get along, especially if Xion is ruling as Queen. She bears little contempt for anyone."

The king watched Terra for a very long time, as if he needed to judge his facial expression to see if he was speaking the truth. Then, he nodded. "I see no trouble in helping to find a child." His jaw moved, and he looked to Sora. "However, if we want this alliance to last, I think we should bind it properly."

Terra shifted uneasily. He'd been expecting this, perhaps over any other scenario, and still he could not bear to do it. "I cannot promise anything on my sister's behalf," he said, looking up at the king. "It is not my decision to make."

Sora looked confused, while Queen Aerith seemed to become fearful. "Cloud," she said in a soft voice. "You don't mean a marriage contract, do you?"

Sora perked up. "A wedding?" he piped, his grin wide. "Oh, I love weddings! Who's getting married?"

Terra suppressed a groan, knowing that the boy wasn't as court savvy as he should be. The king seemed to have a similar response. "You, Sora," King Cloud said. "If we find the girl."

"And if she agrees," Terra added, his tone dark. He didn't want Xion to be forced into an arranged marriage, and he knew that if she did agree to marry Sora, she would be giving up the throne to Terra, which was the worst idea possible.

"Me…?" Sora looked up at his father fearfully, his mouth falling open. He looked rather like a fish.

"Perhaps we should talk this over more," Aerith urged, her large green eyes flashing to Cloud's face. "Over dinner?"

Cloud stood without a word, and he picked up the crown from his head and rested it on the seat of the throne. He brushed past Terra, leaving the room in silence.

* * *

><p>Kairi felt confusion when the king left. She looked at Sora, who seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, and then she looked at Aerith, whose eyes fell on her. Sora had introduced her to Aerith the day before, pleading for her to stay until her voice and memory returned. Aerith did not need much convincing, and she quickly took to Kairi, fretting with her hair, and babbling about so many things that Kairi did not understand. In short, Kairi truly adored the queen, and the queen seemed to like her too.<p>

She wasn't sure about marriage. It seemed familiar, but she didn't know of it, not really. It was not a word that Ven tended to speak, and the prospect of it seemed to make everyone uncomfortable. Was it so horrible?

They were dismissed, but Kairi fell back when she felt a familiar tickle in her mind, a voice murmuring in her head. _Meet me in the wind gardens._ Kairi spun around, her eyes wide as she searched for Neku's face in the crowd of courtiers, but there was no shock of orange hair, no hollow blue eyes, not even a hint of his biting voice among the higher born folk.

She pushed past them all, her feet moving easily now. She could move in the heeled shoes Aerith had given her, which was an improvement, and she never tripped on the hem of her skirt. Her hair tangled against the low hanging branches of pale trees with dark leaves, and she clawed to get the red strands to fall against her back again. She stumbled, her feet unsure of the tangled roots that formed stepping-stones across the flow of water.

The wind gardens were a vast network of small natural springs that dotted the castle. There was always water, and trees, and large arching stones. The water pattered lazily as the leaves rustled, and the wind whispered softly, surely, singing a tune or whistling a warning. The water was clear enough for rays of sun to catch the shimmering bottom of the pool, and sometimes she'd spot a coin or two.

Kairi stopped when she spotted them, their feet dipped in the swirling water. She was surprised to see Rhyme, who was wearing a frock that put Kairi's to shame. The silvery fabric pooled behind her, fluttering against the wind, and the laces that ran along her back looked as if they were strands of pure gold, woven against a pale georgette.

Rhyme looked up when she approached, and she smiled brightly. Kairi was startled by how pretty she looked, the tiny faerie girl, whose face was thin, and her chopped blonde hair was mussed about. She couldn't be sure if it was intentional.

"It's nice to see you again," she said, her voice sweet as honey. Kairi stared at her. She wondered why her head was buzzing. Neku laughed her out of her confusion.

"Joshua glamoured her so anyone who looks at her too long gets enchanted." Neku shrugged. "It was the only way we could get in here. The Skylands hate faeries more than most."

Kairi wondered why it didn't make Neku's head spin, and he answered almost instantly. "Magic like that doesn't affect me. Telepaths' minds work differently than normal beings."

She nodded slowly. It made sense, and she had no time to deny anything. She sat beside him, and she bit her lip. She motioned to them, hoping to mime her question. She'd forgotten she didn't need to.

"We're here because Riku asked me to help you." Neku rolled the cuffs of his trousers up to the knee, and he pushed his feet deeper into the pool. "I wanted to check on you. You shouldn't have made a deal with Joshua."

_I had to._ She knew it was weak, but she felt so much better as a human. She felt freer, and happier, and her emotions weren't poisoning any longer. She loved it.

"But you basically sold your soul to him," Neku spat, glaring at one of the low arching trees. "A soul is worth more than you give it credit. You're throwing away something precious."

"Neku," Rhyme sighed. "Don't. She made a choice, and now she will face the consequences. Don't belittle her, she understands her own actions."

"No she doesn't." Neku hid his eyes from view, his lips disappearing behind his collar. "You've never seen Joshua take a soul, Rhyme, don't think you can understand this."

The small girl shrunk at his tone, and she closed her eyes. Kairi felt a rush of pity, and she wondered what her story was. She was a changeling, so her humanity seemed to be natural. She was a human stuck inside a fae's body. Her mind and heart were stuck with knowing the differences between right and wrong, and she had none of the cruelty other faeries seemed to glorify.

"I'm here to translate," Neku said. "Not chat. I don't know how it will help, but magic isn't too reviled here. Just faeries."

Would they hurt Rhyme then? Kairi stared at her, and she wondered why she would risk it. Neku, as expected, answered immediately. "If they catch her, she's dead. King Cloud has no tolerance for faeries, nor did his father, or his father's father. The Court of Summer liked the pluck off the princes, since the royal family tended to show promise for sacrificing."

"But the queen's dead now," Rhyme said quickly. "And she stopped picking at the princes, sticking to common folk, like me and Neku."

"It seemed she succeeded with you," he said glumly. "I pity the poor sucker that got stuck in my crib."

Rhyme said nothing in response. She pulled her feet from the water and stood, her bell swinging at her breast. Her sadness was palpable, written across her face, and when she moved it was with a heaviness to her steps. She crossed the pool with ease, and then she was gone without a word.

The muscle in Neku's cheek jumped, and she wondered if he was angry with himself.

His eyes moved to hers, and she saw guilt and frustration. He flopped himself onto his back, his hollow eyes following the clouds. Then he spat, "You're not my own sweet baby, oh." That was her song. Her fairy song. She stared at him, surprised that he'd picked that up from her mind, considering she hadn't thought about it in days.

For a moment, she felt a crippling sorrow for all the changelings, and the people who awoke to find that the child in the cradle was not their own.

* * *

><p><em>Bluh, good, she's off the ship. Finally. I'm really trying to do everything I can not to make this story long. If pacing has to pay for it, fuck it, I don't care. I have too many ideas, and as much as I like this story, I don't want to get sick of it like I did with White Knight. Finishing it is my goal.<em>

_Not that it's close to being finished, but if I can squish ten paged chapters into here, maybe I'll put a dent in the story._

_I cannot imagine Neku saying that last line. Usually I can hear Jesse Corti's voice pretty clearly in my head when I write Neku's lines, BUT NOPE, I CAN'T HEAR HIM SAYING THAT. Also, Jesse Corti is super attractive, like holy shit. _

_I'm hoping to get one or two more updates in before school starts. We'll see._


	15. The Remus

**{the remus}**

Terra sat beside Sora, his eyes glued to one of the large, intricate carvings on the far wall. It was a bird, or maybe an angel, or maybe a monster. Whatever it was, it was winged, and white, and beautiful. Sora did not seem to be in such a great mood either. His eyes were on his hands, and he was fidgeting nervously.

Aerith tried to give him a reassuring smile, but she failed. She looked just as uncomfortable as him. "I'm sorry about my husband," she said softly, looking down at the goblet of wine on the table. "He seems to forget how hard an arranged marriage can be."

"Your marriage was arranged?" He didn't know why he was surprised. The only reason he'd been left alone for so long was because his mother had kept his identity secret. If things were different, she'd have married him off long ago to some eastern girl, or a Lord's daughter.

She nodded slowly, and she looked at Sora. The look that crossed his face was strange, and she laughed a little. "Oh, don't fret, Sora, I was one of the lucky ones. I love Cloud very much, and he loves me as well."

He nodded, though Terra knew the boy wasn't convinced. Neither was Terra. "Did you love him before you married?" he asked curiously, wondering if he was prying. Aerith blinked at him, and looked down at her hands.

"No." Her answer was so forward, it surprised him at how comfortable she was talking about it. "I felt something for Cloud before the wedding, but not very much. He was sweet, and timid, but he didn't love me either. It was a sad day for us both, I think."

"Then why did you do it?" Sora sat up straight, and he stared at his mother in confusion. "Why would you put yourself through that? You didn't love each other!"

"Duty," she sighed. "We were a good match, and we were both young, and Cloud needed a Queen. You won't understand now, but when you're older, and you're king, you'll know that your personal qualms… they mean nothing in the face of a dynasty continuing."

"Gods," Terra murmured. "Who would ever want to be king?"

"Mad men," Aerith giggled. "You understand why I'm relating this to you, don't you? I'm sure we'll find your sister, and Cloud seems to believe that Sora is at an age where he should be married."

"I don't!" Sora objected, his lower lip jutting out.

"I agree, you aren't ready for such a commitment." Aerith smiled, her green eyes twinkling in the candlelight. "I'll speak to him about it, and I'm sure he'll change his mind, or at least give it a bit more thought."

"The king," Terra said quietly. "He's aware that if Xion marries Sora, she can't rule the Heartlands."

"Very aware, I'd think." Aerith tilted her head, and her silky brown curls slid against her shoulders. "He must want you in the Heartlands."

"I'd be an awful king."

Sora looked at him, and he laughed abruptly. Aerith laughed as well, and Terra saw a lot of her face in Sora's. "You made peace with a Kingdom that has been warring with yours for centuries!" Aerith gasped, shaking her head.

"That's a super bold move," Sora said with a wide grin. "But it worked, and if it sticks, you've made history. People will remember you as King Terra, the Peacemaker, or something. It'd be easy to follow a king whose first goal was to make peace amongst its neighbors. The only way you'd be remembered more is if you conquered us, which, by the way, won't happen."

"I wasn't planning on it." Terra looked down at his hands. "I wasn't planning on being a king, either. If Xion is ruling the Heartlands, then I can—" He stopped himself, his eyes flashing upwards. He hadn't meant to bring up Aqua. He wasn't sure how they'd react to that.

"What?" Sora smiled. "You can tell us, you know, we can keep secrets."

That was true enough. Sora wouldn't judge because he had met Aqua, and Aerith was much sweeter than his own mother. She seemed like she would understand as well. "A…" He swallowed, his mind forming her face, angry and betrayed. "A friend of mine was kidnapped a few days ago. The same day Xion disappeared, I think. I want to find her."

Sora's eyes widened, and they filled with a sudden understanding. Aerith looked surprised, but she nodded. "Yes, I believe that would be for the best. Do you know who kidnapped her?"

"My mother said…" Terra scowled at the thought of the woman. "I think she was taken by pirates? I'm not sure why, but she wouldn't have gone easily. She knows how to defend herself, better than most men really."

Sora looked at him, something in his face changing. Aerith noticed as well, and she turned to him. "Sora?"

"Pirates…" he murmured. He stood up suddenly, and he smiled politely. "Excuse me, I have to go send a letter!"

* * *

><p>Kairi and Neku managed to chat without him really talking about himself, or she really talking. He explained Joshua's court, how the faeries were, and why Rhyme was a special case.<p>

"He keeps her close," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "And he understands that it sets her even further apart from the other fae. He doesn't care that it segregates her, though, and neither does she."

_Why does he want to protect her so much?_ Kairi wondered, thinking about how cruel the king of faeries could be.

"Because she's special." Neku shrugged. "Because she's important, or maybe because he actually cares for her. He doesn't let me see into any of that, so I couldn't tell you, and it's not my business anyway. But a changeling who lived to be thirteen, long enough for the glamour to melt away, that caught his interest."

_So she's like a dying breed of fae that he wants to keep safe. Do others pick on her?_

Neku stared at the rock beneath his feet, and he sighed. "They don't say it out loud, because they know better, but they hate her."

_That's awful._ Kairi could imagine how isolated Rhyme felt. It hurt being the one who was different, but Kairi never had her own kind hate her. She hoped Joshua was at least kind to her, else Neku could be the girl's only friend.

"He's as gentle as Joshua knows how to be." Neku laughed bitterly. "So, he's pretty much just slightly less of a jerk than usual. The only reason he tries so hard to keep her happy is because he knows she could leave at any time."

_Why doesn't she?_

Neku was quiet for a few moments, and the soft pattering of the water around them was the only sound they could hear. If Kairi was right about the surreal look on Neku's face, he enjoyed it here. He seemed to be much more relaxed than when she last saw him, and his eyes looked less hollow.

"She's scared of what she'll find out if she leaves," he murmured, his face growing dark.

Kairi felt a deep sorrow for the little changeling, wondering how anyone's existence could be so tragic. She'd thought her problems were aching, but it seemed being part of Joshua's court was harsh physically and mentally. He kept the peace between imps and pixies and regals, but it was still savage. Neku explained that faeries couldn't help their nature, and Kairi felt a pang of shame as she recalled Ven telling her the same thing.

_Do you have anyone? _she asked, jerking her chin at him. _Besides Joshua and Rhyme, I mean. Do you remember your family?_

"No," he answered immediately, sharply, and he stood up. "My life is my pledge."

She might have believed him, but then she remembered that he was human. He could lie as easily as he breathed. She began forming another question when a voice piped up from behind her.

"Hey! What'cha doin' out here?" Sora bent down beside her, his eyes flashing confusedly to Neku, then back at her. She smiled brightly at him, and leaned toward Neku's face, placing her finger against his forehead, and then dragging it back to her own.

Sora blinked at her, his smile still in place. "Okay, that's cool." He sat beside her, a piece of paper in his hand. "Do you know how to read or write?"

She shook her head, and Sora smiled larger. "Do you want me to teach you?"

Kairi thought about it, wondering if it was something that she could use, before Neku spoke up.

"Do it," he urged. "If you figured how to write, you won't need me, which will be a relief."

Kairi scowled at him. _If you don't want to help, why are you here? You know Riku even less than I do, you owe him nothing. _

"I'm not doing this because I owe anyone." Neku rolled his eyes, and he ignored Sora's dubious expression. "I just… want to make a difference, for once."

"That's nice." Sora smiled at Neku and rubbed his nose. "Hey, I haven't seen you around before. What's your name?"

Neku sighed, his eyes narrowing at Sora. Kairi smiled at him and nodded, mentally nudging him to answer. "Neku Sakuraba," he said, his voice dull. "Your Grace," he added as an afterthought.

"Don't bother with that title stuff," Sora laughed, waving his hand dismissively. "I hate it. You can just call me Sora. Hey, Sakuraba's a funny name. Are you from around here?"

"No."

"Where are you from, then?" Kairi knew that Sora's curiosity was genuine, but that didn't mean it irritated Neku any less.

"The Isles," Neku said. His teeth were gritted, and she wondered if he was telling the truth.

"Wow, really! Are you an Arcanumite?"

"Not really."

"So you don't visit the mainland too often, huh?" Sora nodded. "Yeah, I get that. The Isles are calmer anyway."

"Right." Neku's voice was disinterested, and he pulled his collar up around his mouth. "I'm gonna go, Kairi. I've got shit that needs to be done, and like I said, I'm here on my own free time. Still have duties."

Kairi nodded, understanding, but Sora's soft gasp startled her. "Your name is Kairi?" he asked, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him. She stared, her mouth agape, but she nodded again anyway, a smile on her lips. She had no way of telling him her name before, and Riku had been no help. It was nice to hear him say it.

"Did you not know that?" Neku's eyebrows rose. "Sweet, I think I just about filled my helpfulness quota for the day. Now I'm going to go see what inhuman task I'll be sent out to do next." He stood and waved half-heartedly at them, before sticking his hands in his pockets and crossing the pool with ease.

Kairi watched him leave with a bit of sorrow welling in her heart. Neku probably felt as trapped as she had before she made the deal with Joshua, maybe even more so because he really wasn't a faerie.

"He's pleasant," Sora chirped. Kairi smiled and nodded, though she didn't fully agree. Being around Neku and Rhyme made her very sad. "How'd he know your name?"

Kairi bit her lip, and she pressed her finger to his forehead, and then back to hers, just as she'd done before. He still didn't seem to understand. She shook her head, and she leaned forward, her hands grasping at his face, and she continued to move her finger between their foreheads until he got it.

"He…" Sora frowned. "He read your mind?"

Kairi nodded, and her hands slid from his face. She expected him to be skeptical, but he just laughed again. "Oh!" he cried, folding his arms across his chest. "Yeah, that makes sense."

He was very strange. In some ways he reminded Kairi of Ven, but he lacked that mischief and sadness that lay beneath the sweet surface. Kairi felt something strange as he took her hand and brought her to her feet. It was a dizzy feeling, and she nearly lost her footing on the roots that made a path across the water.

"_Wait,"_ cried a young boy's voice, and Kairi stopped, her eyes adjusting to the sudden haze that fell across the wind garden. The trees turned black, and the water was grey, and there were children around her. Small, blond boys, stumbling after each other. _"Wait, Cloud! I can't get across!"_

Cloud, she thought dazedly. The King. And yet she looked at the boy's face, and he was no king. Just a boy. She squinted as another child dropped himself into the river, wading to the spot the other boy had gotten stuck at.

"_Hey, quit screechin'!"_ the boy hissed. _"We'll get caught!"_

"_No we won't."_ When the boy turned, he looked straight at Kairi. She would have gasped if she could have.

_Ven…?_

* * *

><p>No one was sleeping that night. They were drinking, and grumbling on and on about Ventus, and Aqua simply sat in the corner while Luxord played dice, and downed his liquor like a pro. He was playing against Xigbar, and the man with the eye-patch would lose, undoubtedly. So Aqua found herself standing up, and pushing her way to the middle of the room, where the two men were playing. She grabbed the bottle from Luxord's hand, and she stepped back when he looked sharply up at her.<p>

"Huh?" Xigbar tilted his head. "Heey, the green boy is taking an interest! Wanna play, bluebird?"

"No." Aqua was tired, and she was scared, and she was confused. She intended to get answers, and these men were already drunk. "I want to know about Ven."

Xigbar took the bottle from her and shrugged. "Ain't much to tell," he said, tipping the bottle back and taking a swig. "That little wind storm's been gone for… what, twenty years? Thirty?"

"I believe it's close to twenty, yes," Luxord said, observing Aqua's face. "What do you want to know? His origins? Vanitas stumbled upon the boys during his more vengeful days, and he took them under his wing when they were quite young. They'd been wronged similarly to the way we had… but to a lesser extreme."

"Twenty years?" Aqua blurted, her eyes flashing between the two of them. "Gods, how long have you been on this ship?"

"Depends on the person!" Axel startled her from behind, clapping her on the shoulder. "Want a drink _now_, Calder? After witnessing the psycho twin brigade? Wait until you see Roxas on a rampage, whoo, that's a doozy."

"I'll drink if I feel the need to," Aqua said smoothly. "Right now I just want to know what's happening. How long have you been on the ship, Axel?"

Axel's jaw moved rigidly, and brought his flagon to his lips. "Ah, probably… thirty years? Maybe closer to forty, I couldn't tell you the exact number."

"So you all… you're immortal." Aqua licked her lips, wondering if she'd need that booze. "Okay, so how does that work?"

"Blood oath," Xigbar laughed. "Gods, blue, you ain't got a clue what's happening here, do ya?"

"No, that's why I'm askin'." She rolled her eyes. "How does this blood oath work?"

Axel sat down, and he motioned her to do the same. "Well." He wrinkled his nose. "It's pretty simple. Basically you swear your life and blood to Vanitas on this ship, willingly spill a bit of your blood on her, and boom, immortal life. It'd be pretty cool if we weren't confined to this ship most of the time."

It did sound simple. She hoped it wasn't something they could trick her into doing. "But Ven got away?"

"Obviously," Luxord said. "The cards were right, and he played them fairly. He got off the ship without consequence. He couldn't take his brother, though, which I am positive still haunts him."

"Roxas never talks about it." Speaking of Roxas, he was nowhere to be found. She didn't question it, but it was suspicious. "Why would they take the oath if they didn't want to be here?"

"Oath or death," Xigbar said. "Most choose oath. Those munchkins… they were made of something tougher." Xigbar gulped at the liquor, and he looked down at the bottle. "Damn, I like this, where'd you find it?"

"Isle of Sleep," Luxord reached over the table and brought the bottle back to his side. "Aptly named for the fact that most people never seem to stay awake long during their festivals."

"Tougher." Aqua looked at Axel. "What does that mean?"

Axel's face grew dark. "It's not my place to tell you," he said, turning away from her. "Roxas should tell ya, not me."

"Roxas isn't here." Aqua grabbed the bottle from Luxord again, despite the displeasured expression on his face. "Tell me."

"It's one of the sadder tales of the crew," Luxord sighed, gesturing to the liquor bottle. "Perhaps the saddest."

"I dunno, Lux." Xigbar winked. "Little Beatie's heartwrenchin' speech about finding his little sis, that's deep."

"At least he joined the crew for a valid reason," Axel chuckled. "Better than the rest of us, I'd say."

"Okay." Aqua brought the bottle to her lips and let the sharp tang of the liquor hit her taste buds. It was thick going down her throat, and she resisted the urge to spit it up. She shook her head, trying to get the taste out of her mouth. She looked up at them, noting their surprised expressions. "Tell me about Roxas and Ventus."

"Why is everyone drinking my alcohol?" Luxord frowned. "I see no fairness in this game."

"It ain't a game, bud, this is us moochin' off your booze, got it memorized?"

Aqua licked her lips, her nose scrunching at the after-taste of the liquor. "Axel," she said. "I'd really appreciate some answers right about now."

"Yeah, yeah." Axel ruffled his spiky red hair, and his eyes flashed to her face. "See, those poor suckers grew up on the ship, so they knew what they'd be getting into beforehand. Took them a bit to decide, but they agreed that immortality wasn't worth the pain they'd go through."

Aqua stared around at the three men, and she frowned. "I don't understand," she soft quietly. "They… didn't take the oath, then?"

"Oh, they did!" Xigbar bellowed, smirking. "They just didn't mean to."

She turned to Axel, and she found that he was staring quietly at his hands, his face somber. "They slit each other's throats," Axel hissed. "If they'd told me what they were planning, I could have told them that it wouldn't have worked, but they wanted to keep it quiet. Told me afterwards that they wanted to die together, and I told them they were idiots."

"Which they were!" Xigbar's lips twisted. "Brave idiots, but gods be good, you'd think they'd have known."

Aqua sat in silence then, her head reeling at the sudden vision of Roxas and Ven, sitting across from each other in a cramped lower cell, daggers against each other's throats, and murmuring a countdown until they ended their brother's life. She felt bile rising in her throat, and she closed her eyes, telling herself that she'd wanted to know.

She wished, not for the first time, that Terra was beside her, poking fun at her fear and sadness. She wondered if she'd ever see him again, and then she brought the bottle to her lips once more, savoring the numbness it brought to her mind.

* * *

><p>Naminé would have fought him immediately if it wasn't for the threat of the sea below her. Instead, she screamed, and clutched at his chest, and she prayed that he'd let her down on dry land. She did not want to die, and she did not plan on it. She did not respond to him when he asked her questions, and she kept her eyes closed until a few hours later, when the wind slowed.<p>

He let her down gently, and the moment she felt sand against her toes, she pushed him away as hard as she could. The force had sent them both sprawled on their backs, and Naminé struggled to her feet. Her legs moved before she could even think, and she was running faster than she thought possible. Sand was flying in her eyes, and but it was too dark to see anyway.

He caught her easily by the arm and dragged her back, his voice pleading. "Stop running, I'm not going to hurt you!"

She was tired, and frightened, and she did not believe him. Her fingers were clawing at his bare arm, and she could hear his rasping breath as he tried to keep her in his arms.

"Let me go," she breathed, her heart battering against her ribs. "Gods, let me go, please!"

"I will if you swear you won't run away!"

She nodded, feeling herself slump when his arms unwound. She stood with defeat weighing heavily in her heart, and her eyes were cast toward the ground. She was useless at defending herself.

His finger slid under her chin, and she raised her head to meet his gaze. It was too dark to see him clearly, but she could tell that he was identical to Roxas in every way, even the old sadness that seemed to gleam in his eyes. She didn't realize she was quivering until he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Chin up," he laughed. The cheer in his voice seemed to take the weight off her, and she stared at him in awe. Somehow, that made her less scared.

"Okay," she whispered, nodding slowly. "You… won't hurt me? Was all of that just a show?"

His lips twisted into a grimace, but he nodded all the same. "Yeah, sorry." He gave another laugh, this one drenched in guilt. "I wanted to get Aqua out of there, but she didn't understand. And then I saw you."

"Aqua?" Naminé watched him curiously, and he nudged her forward.

"She was pretending to be a boy." He shrugged. "I don't know what name she was using. She was the one who kept yelling at me."

She paused, and her eyes widened. "Calder?" She felt a giggle bubbling in her chest. "Calder's a girl?"

"Trust me, I don't know how she does it." He smiled as he led her across the beach. "If you saw her at the ball, you'd think it impossible to mistake her for a boy."

"She was at the ball…?" Naminé murmured. She looked up at him sharply. "_You_ were at the ball?"

He laughed again, and he took her by the arm and pulled her gingerly onto a path of sand that lead up hill. "Guilty," he admitted. "You thought you were talking to Roxas, and I never corrected you. I knew you'd talk to me easier if you thought you knew me."

"That was you?" She was aghast, and confused. "But… how could you know about… the wolf and me?"

He sighed and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, that's a little complicated." He pulled her towards a large tree, and he stopped his face illuminated in the moonlight. "I'll tell you about it after you get some sleep. You had a pretty rough night."

She stepped away from him, looking up at his face again. "I don't trust you," she said, her voice harsh. "I don't want to go anywhere with you until you explain."

He winced at that. He looked around a little before sighing, and nodding. "Alright, alright." He shot her a wane smile. "Can't blame you. Okay, so the wolf? I was there that night, only I was on the other ship."

"Why were you on the other ship?" He sat down on a boulder, and motioned for her to sit beside him. She gathered up her hair in her arms and obeyed without a word.

"My friend was on it," he explained with a shrug. "I was visiting him."

She picked at the strands of golden hair in her lap, and she frowned. "So why were you so fascinated by the wolf? And me, for that matter."

This caught him. He stared at her, his silence making her aware of the sounds around them; the chirping of crickets, and the soft croaking of a nearby frog. Leaves rustled around them as a breeze picked up from the ocean, which sighed softly with every breaking wave.

"I…" He swallowed, and he seemed to ponder over his words. "I've never seen anyone speak to the wolf like that before. He used to only really respond to me, and even that was rare."

"Do you know him then?" She sat up eagerly, her eyes bright with curiosity. "Do you know what his name is?"

"He doesn't have a name," he answered automatically, though she could sense that the words were ushered too quickly. It was an obvious lie.

"He does." She moved onto her knees, and she grabbed his hand. "If you tell me, I'll go with you. Wherever you want to go, I'll go, for as long as you want me. I promise."

His mouth opened, and he stared at her hand for a moment before blurting, "Why does it matter so much to you?"

Naminé pressed her lips together. The truth was, she didn't know why it was so important. She thought perhaps if she knew his name, the dream wolf would respond. But she didn't know how to tell him that, so she grabbed his other hand and begged.

"Please tell me," she whispered, ignoring the strange sensation of his calloused fingers wrapping around her own. "It's… something I need to know."

He tilted his head, and his lip quirked as he contemplated the risks of telling her. "Okay…" He pulled his hands from hers, chewing his lip nervously. "But after I tell you, you need to go to sleep. I can't explain everything tonight."

"That's fine."

Ventus took a deep breath, and he looked up at the sky. "You might have noticed… at night, you never see my brother." He looked at her face to see her reaction, but she just looked confused. "That's because it's him. The wolf is Roxas."

* * *

><p><em>Dun dun dun. Yeah, someone called that in an earlier chapter. I forget who. And I was like, LOL NO THAT WAS NOT A SECRET I WAS TELLING NOPE. I actually was surprised with myself. I thought I'd be revealing this much later on. Well, now you know. Enjoy.<em>

_I disagree with Aerith and Sora completely. Terra would be a horrible king. SHUT UP. HE WOULD BE AWFUL. "Oooh, you want to bring your army into my castle? Okay. Would you like some biscuits as well? Perhaps the my head served cleaning on a platter? You can do the tar dipping and spiking, I'll be a BIT TOO DEAD FOR THAT. Also, please be good to that throne, it served my ass well."_

_no seriously guys he'd be a really shitty king_

_This might be the last update until after school starts. But then again, maybe not. I don't know. This chapter was pretty exciting, actually, I like it._

_lol guys before i forget to mention it, how about the twewy2 countdown? I haven't checked it in a few days. Also I'm pissed it ends at midnight the day I go back to school. It's really unfair._

_As for the name of the chapter, pretty simple. Remus was the brother of Romulus, founder of Rome in mythology, and they were suckled by a she-wolf. Romulus kills Remus. Remus and a certain other name sound a lot alike._


	16. Dreams of Another

**{dreams of another}**

When she stood in the long corridor again, the doors on either side, and the hearts thumping loudly around her, she made herself sit down. She breathed heavily, her fingers trembling as the wolf pup nuzzled her hand.

"Roxas," she said, staring at him confusedly. "Why didn't you tell me it was you?"

He whimpered, and pawed at her dress. His red tears made his eyes glow in the fog, blue and bloody. She dragged herself to her feet and moved forward, leaving the younger Roxas behind. She knew where she was going now.

The bloody hearts beat in a steady rhythm, and she began to feel nervous, her fingers reaching for a red door handle. Beside her, the younger Roxas howled.

_Will you look, then? _he asked. _Will you see what you have done?_

She did not want to. Deep inside her, there was a knot of hatred and confusion that would not disperse, and she grew worried. Whatever she'd done, it was enough to leave an imprint on her memory. Horrible, horrible, her mind told her, and a wave of self-loathing hit her hard.

She pushed open the door, her fingers slick with blood, and she wiped it on her the front of her dress as she stepped into the din.

It was bright, as if it was midday on the brink of summer, and all around her feet were flowers, daisies and hyacinths and tulips and roses and forget-me-nots… Roxas stood beside her, no longer a wolf, but a child, seven or eight, with the same sad eyes, and red tears on his cheeks.

"Do you see?" he asked, his voice soft, but crisp, as if he was irritated with her.

"No," she replied, "I don't see any—"

The noise around her that was incomprehensible when she'd entered became louder, sharper, and she felt her stomach twist. She looked down at Roxas, but he was gone now, and where he had stood all the flowers had turned brown, and withered. She turned, her legs moving forward to follow the sound, the screams, the cries, and pleading little voices.

"_Ar mhullach an tí tá síodha geala__  
><em>_Faol chaoin re an Earra ag imirt is spoirt__  
><em>_Seo iad aniar iad le glaoch ar mo leanbh__  
><em>_Le mian é tharraingt isteach san lios mór…"_

She shuddered at the sound of the lullaby, the words archaic and familiar. Yes, she knew that song… of dancing white fairies, and their playful nature, and their tempting of children. Yes, she knew the song well, though she didn't know where from. Her mind told her that she used to sing it all the time, but her heart told her that it was evil, and that she'd never uttered a word of it.

She spun around when a laughed pierced through the sobs and screams, and she stared at Vanitas's marred face.

"Why are they crying?" she shouted at him, lifting her hands to her head. She was getting frightened.

"Don't you remember?" he spat, his grin even more unnerving on cracking black lips. "You killed them all!"

She stared at him, feeling even sicker than before. _No you didn't. No you didn't. _ "No I didn't," she whispered, but he laughed, and stepped toward her. He was so close that she could see his black flesh flaking. He smelled of rot and ash.

"Oh, my lady," he sighed, grabbing her chin. She was overwhelmed by her own feeling of sorrow, and she stared as the flaking burnt skin fell away to reveal the boy he really was, so young, and yet so full of hatred. "You are so much worse than you could possibly believe."

"No." She stepped back, but his grip on her face was too strong, and suddenly her feet felt too heavy to move. "You're wrong! I'm… I'm better than you've been your entire existence! You can't tell me I murdered children, because I didn't!"

He pulled her very close, his nose bumping against hers, and she stared at him, her heart pounding in her chest. _Familiar, familiar, oh gods, he's never gotten so close before… _

"You," Vanitas murmured, his voice softer than she thought could ever be possible, "are so _stupid._ You think that you're perfect, that you can do whatever you want, but you can't! Why don't you ever listen to _me_?"

"Because you're selfish!" she screamed, pushing him away. "Because all you do is hate, and look at me like I'm beneath you, but I'm not!" She felt a quivering deep in her stomach, and she realized her words didn't match her emotions. "I'm not perfect, and I never will be, but at least I know where to draw the line between duty and pleasure! You kill people because you _enjoy_ it, Vanitas!"

He rolled his eyes, and he sneered at her. Her mind was fogging up, and she wanted to go home, but she had to speak to him. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see her knight leaning against a tree, his head bowed, and his eyes averted. "You shouldn't be lecturing me about duty and pleasure," Vanitas hissed. "You really can't seem to differentiate one from the other anymore, can you?"

She was enraged at that. Enraged, and ashamed. She stomped forward and backhanded him, surprised at how her strength sent him stumbling. "Do you feel anything?" she asked, her voice dead. "Is there anything inside that dark little heart of yours, aside from loathing?"

He smirked at her, nursing his cheek with one hand. His eyes were dancing with amusement, and that told her that yes, he did feel, but it was not enough. Then he stepped toward her, moving close again, and he said, "Do you want proof of my emotions?" he whispered, and she blinked confusedly. His head moved, and she felt his lips crush hers for a moment, a moment that made her head spin in confusion before—

"No!" she screamed, bolting up straight. She saw his face immediately, and she scrambled away from him, her legs tangling in a blanket. "No, no, no!"

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice… worried. That startled her, and she clutched her chest, feeling it rise and fall heavily. "You've been tossing and turning all night."

The light changed then, and she saw not Vanitas, as she'd first assumed, but Roxas's look-a-like… Ventus? She wasn't sure. Her heart was pounding, and her stomach lurched when she realized she'd lost control of her dream. That last part hadn't felt right. Roxas had said that he wanted her to see what she had done, but she had no idea what that meant.

"I—" she choked. "I don't know, I don't…" But why had he talked to her so freely? Vanitas never spoke to her, not really. She wondered if Roxas had messed it all up, if that had been something else, and then she wondered if it was someone else's memory.

She stiffened when Ventus wrapped his arms around her shoulders, patting her head, and gently rocking her to and fro. She was alarmed by the warm sensation, the strange foreign feeling of being comforted. "What… what're you…?"

"When Sora was little, he had nightmares too," Ventus said, his voice soft. "So did Roxas, come to think of it. But it was always Cloud who tried to lull him back to sleep. I just watched."

"Sora?" she whispered. "Cloud?"

"My friend." Ventus continued to rock her back and forth, and her mind was growing hazy again. She recalled she was in the tree now, which was hollow, and it lead to a small underground alcove. "And... well, my other brother, actually."

"Another brother…?" she murmured, before she drifted back into slumber. Her dreams turned from Vanitas, and focused on a man who was crowned the ruler of the sky.

* * *

><p>Xion spent her days restlessly. Riku stayed with her, to her surprise and joy, but he didn't talk much. She spent the first day exploring, which turned out to be successful, as she found a creek near by. Riku watched her from a distance, but he never tried to get very close, and whenever she struck up a conversation, it was short, and he ended up walking away in the middle of it.<p>

The second day she spent cleaning the cottage. Riku explained that it had once belonged to a family of three, and that it had been empty for decades. When she asked what happened to the family, he did not answer.

The third day was spent wading in the creek, laughing and splashing, enjoying the freedom she'd never felt. She asked Riku if he could take her to the beach, remembering her seashell collection from Terra, but Riku denied it. He said it was too far away, and they had to be careful.

On the fourth day it rained. Xion sat at the window, letting the wind splash the rain onto her face. Riku was cooking her something, and when he noticed the water coming in, he quickly closed the shutters.

She turned towards him, pressing her lips together as he walked away from her. She wished he'd just talk to her instead of keeping to himself so much. She decided earlier, the day before, that he'd lost someone, just as Rhyme had, and just as she had… sort of. She was scared to bring it up, though.

"Why don't you ever eat?" she asked when he set a bowl soup in front of her. "How do you even know how to cook?" Why are you protecting me...?

He answered, as he usually did, but it was too obligatory, too cold. "I don't need to," he said. "And it's just something I learned when I was younger."

He moved away from her after that, but Xion couldn't stand it. She had so many more questions. "Did you cook a lot?" she asked innocently.

"No." He frowned at her, and he looked away, as if looking at her made him uncomfortable.

"Why don't you need to eat?"

His eyes narrowed at her. "Why are you asking so many questions? Eat."

"I will!" Xion glanced at the soup, which did smell good, if she had to admit it. "But I… I'm just curious. I've never met someone other than my brother before."

This made him pause, and look at her for a long time. That was different. He often tried not to make long eye contact.

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly, moving closer to one of the chairs. Xion grew excited, wondering if he'd sit down to actually speak with her.

"Well, my stepmother never allowed me to go out." Xion smiled sadly, and shrugged. "Terra always brought me stuff, though, like books and seashells and things. He… was the only one who really cared about me."

Riku's eyebrows rose at that. "He attacked you," he said with a sharp laugh. "Doesn't sound caring to me."

"That wasn't him!" Xion scowled. "At least… I don't think it was. He told me to run. I think there was… something else inside him."

Riku seemed to ponder this, and he sighed, submitting to the inevitable. He sat down beside her, and nodded. "That's possible," he said. "I haven't seen a possession case in decades, but they exist. Though the possessing spirit has to be very immersed in dark magic, as well as having a severe physical and spiritual connection with the host. It takes years to develop."

Xion ignored his comment about decades, and focused on the explanation he was giving. "So…" she said. "The person who did this has to know Terra?"

Riku laughed again, this time with less cruelty. "Knowing? For a strong mage, knowing will get you to influence a person's thoughts slightly. You need to mix blood to get a better effect."

She stared down at her hands, trying to make sense of his words. Blood… "So… like family?" she asked, looking up at him. She noticed at this face was long and angular. When he nodded, she found herself slumping. "Could it have been his mother?"

"Maybe. If she's powerful enough." Riku sighed and stood up. "Okay, will you eat now?"

"Yes…" She looked down at her soup, and she picked up her spoon. "Hey, Riku?"

He turned to look at her, his lips twitching upward. "What is it now?"

Xion swished the potatoes around the bowl, and she looked up at him. "Who was she?"

The smiled fell, and she saw his shoulders tense up. He kept his gaze on her face, however. "Who?" he asked, his voice carefully emotionless.

"The girl I remind you of." Xion smiled at his bewildered expression. "Don't act so surprised, I've read romance novels, I pick up these things."

"That isn't your business." He looked angry for a moment, before his expression turned to defeat. "I can't believe it was that obvious."

Xion shrugged. "I'm observant." She smiled at him, and watched as he closed his eyes, looking uncomfortable.

"She was…" He opened his eyes and turned away. "She was someone very special to me. That's all you need to know."

* * *

><p>"Joshua."<p>

He looked up, a smirk rising on his lips, and he flicked his hair from his eyes. "Rhyme," he laughed. "What do I owe this pleasure? You rarely come when I don't call for you."

Rhyme smiled uneasily, her fingers twisting with the skirt of the dress he had given her once. It was the nicest she owned, and she wore it today only to fulfill the glamouring effect. "I just wanted to know some things." She shrugged. "I was hoping you'd give me answers."

"Well we both know it depends on the question."

She stared at him, and she kept her smile on her face, despite her irritation. "Joshua," she said, laughing a little. "I've known you longer than I knew my brother. Don't you think you owe me one round of free answers?"

"Not particularly." He peered at her, cupping his chin in his hand. "Though, I'm curious now. If I told you the answers you seem to be seeking oh-so-desperately, would you act on it? If so, how then can I trust you?"

"I promise I won't do anything with the information you give me." Rhyme understood the weight of a faerie's word, and she knew that Joshua would exploit that. "Can I ask my questions now?"

"I'm not stopping you."

Rhyme nodded, her smile falling away. "Promise you'll answer everything I ask," she said. Her stomach fluttering nervously. "I need to know before I start."

"Yes, fine," he sighed. "I swear. Now talk, Rhyme."

She swallowed, her head bowing. She was too invested in her own thoughts. "Do you know if Beat is alive?" she asked.

"He is." Joshua smiled, as if he knew she'd ask that. It was predictable.

"Is he doing okay?" Rhyme stared at Joshua with wide eyes, and she stepped forward. "Does he have a family now? Is he healthy?"

"One at a time, now, Rhyme," Joshua simpered, waggling a finger at her. "You do realize I don't keep tabs on him, don't you? I just sneak a peek every now and again for your sake."

"Thank you, your grace—"

"I would very much appreciate it if you called me by my name."

"Joshua," Rhyme corrected herself, swearing internally at her folly. "It's… kind of you to care so much."

"I wouldn't call it kind." He smiled, and though Rhyme knew that smile was poisonous, she returned it with a genuine one of her own. "Now, is he alright? Yes, he's fine. No, he has not started a family, and I would say yes, he's very healthy."

Rhyme sighed, relieved to hear news about her brother, relieved to know that he was still alive and well… though the fact that he had not settled down yet worried her. "Is he… is he still looking for me?"

Joshua rolled his eyes at this, and he sighed. "He never stopped," he said, waving his hand. "He's quite foolish."

Part of her rejoiced at the idea that Beat still cared, the faerie side of her, but the practical, human Rhyme was deeply saddened by the fact that Beat was throwing his life away searching for the sister he'd never find. "I agree," she said softly. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

His eyebrows shot up, and he laughed genuinely this time. "I always forget your words of wisdom," he said, his eyes glinting with approval. "Now continue, what else did you wish to ask me?"

"Why do you keep me here?" It was her curiosity that fueled her now, not her worry. Joshua did not seem surprised at this question either.

"You amuse me," he said, shrugging. "Also, I don't want to waste a surviving changeling. I'd rather keep you in my sight, where I know you're out of harm's way."

"I'm in harm's way when I'm around you as well, though," Rhyme said, pushing her hair from her eyes.

"I don't think that's true. Next question?"

"Do you care about Neku and I?" she asked. "Truly?"

That caught him a little off guard, and his smile fell. He was silent for a few moments, as if he wasn't sure how to answer the question. He could not lie, he was not capable of it.

"Yes," he said finally, frowning a little. "I care for everyone in my court."

Rhyme smiled, and she shook her head. This was Joshua. He tended not to show his real feelings often. "Of course," she giggled. "A good king cares for his people. He shouldn't pick favorites."

"Oh, I'm not a good king," he sighed. "My love for little oddities like you and Neku… and Riku as well, when he still obeyed me, seems to get the better of me."

"Aw," Rhyme said brightly. "Joshua, you do have a heart!"

"Do I?"

Rhyme tilted her head. "Well, perhaps. I don't think it's been proven quite yet, but we're getting there."

Joshua giggled, his eyes narrowing a little. "Perhaps," he agreed. "But it'd be best not to pry. Is that all?"

"No." Rhyme frowned, and she took a step toward the throne. He did not seem surprised, though he watched her with a more interested gaze. "What do you plan to do with Kairi?"

Joshua blinked at that, and he smiled placidly. "I don't believe I know exactly what you're asking."

She took another step toward his throne, her smile still perfectly pleasant. "You know," she said. "You have a plan for her. I want to know what it is."

"Rhyme, I enjoy you, but even if you were correct in assuming I had a gambit on the mermaid, you realize I would not tell you, don't you?"

"Of course!" She stood eyelevel with him now, only a yard or so away. She felt this was all going to get out of hand soon, but she had to know. "But, you swore. So, Joshua, I believe you must tell me."

His eyes widened a little, and he no longer seemed to be amused by her antics. She knew he'd only swore because he hadn't expected her to pry into something like that, something separate from her usual emotional interests.

He smirked again, though he looked a little bitter now. "I underestimated your wit, Rhyme," he said. "I would apologize, but to be honest, you were obviously expecting it."

"I don't believe I know exactly what you mean," she said, feigning her surprise. Rhyme didn't show her tricky side often to Joshua, mostly for occasions such as this one, where he had forgotten that she was well aware of who she appeared to be to others, and took full advantage of it.

Joshua stood, and she stepped back in response. "If you wish to know so badly," he said, his voice on the edge of a giggle. "I plan on taking the Skyland heir as a sacrifice, and using the mermaid to do so."

Rhyme stared at him, her mind working out what he was saying quite quickly. She took a step back. "You want to end the line of succession with the prince," she gasped, her stomach churning with nausea. "Joshua, for a self-proclaimed humanitarian, you really know how to screw things up!"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic," he sighed. "I figured out something… odd about the heir. It will serve a greater good if he dies."

"How?" Rhyme tried not to sound angry, but she couldn't help it. "How could that possibly help anyone?"

"Without a sacrifice, this world will be thrown into Darkness and ruin." Joshua looked frighteningly serious, and he moved beside her. "As a faerie monarch, it's my job to make sure that does not happen. That's why sacrifices must be made, and the young prince's blood will slate the higher power's thirst longer than any child would, even if the child was like Neku."

"And you plan on using Kairi for this?" Rhyme turned from him, pressing her hands to her mouth to keep herself from saying something she might regret.

"She's an easy pawn." Joshua smiled, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Now, you realize you can't tell anyone about this, don't you?"

"Yes." _But Neku will know_, she thought_. And I can't promise he'll sit by quietly._

* * *

><p>Aqua was surprised when Vanitas came for her, the day after they had arrived on the Isle of Sleep. He beckoned her to follow him, and after hesitating for a few moments, she did.<p>

"What's going on?" she asked quickly, her hand falling on the pommel of her sword. He led her onto the deck, brushing past anyone who was still on the ship. Most of the crew had gone out for the hell of it, Axel included. Roxas had stayed behind, mentioning feeling sick, and Aqua spotted him sitting near the stern, slumped forward in slumber.

"Do you want to know why you're on this ship?" Vanitas asked in a dull voice, stepping onto the pier. Aqua glanced at him, and she nodded. Truthfully, it had been the only answer she was seeking for days.

"Yes…" Aqua said slowly. She moved forward, her fingers tracing the waves on the pommel of her sword. "Though I wish you'd have told me sooner."

"I had no reason to." Vanitas stalked out in front of her, pushing his way through the thickly populated streets of Dreamfall, the port city of the Isle of Sleep. Fishermen and market dwellers bustled around them, shouting in an unfamiliar tongue. The scent of charred meat wafted toward them, and Aqua's mouth watered, recalling that she hadn't had a proper meal in nearly a week.

As they moved deeper into the streets of Dreamfall, the smells turned rather unexpectedly. Incense and a thick, musky odor reached Aqua as they passed an ornate building of worship. Aqua saw men cloaked in blue shrouds, and one of them looked at her. She stared for a moment, her eyes falling on the X-shaped scar between his eyes, and quickly she ushered herself toward Vanitas.

The buildings were wide, and sort of flat, the architecture never rising too high into the skyline. The market was still visible, and the roads kept on a straight path. The buildings weren't very plan, just small, and they were shockingly colorful in some areas, bold reds and purples splashed on shingles and shutters.

Finally they stopped, and Aqua looked around, feeling uncomfortable suddenly. The hair on her arms stood on end, and despite the inexplicably warm temperature of the island, she felt a chill. Before them stood an archway, and vines and flowers braided into each other to form a long canopy. She turned to Vanitas the moment she realized it was a bridge.

"Where are we going?"

"In here," he said, stepping through the arch, and disappearing into the shaded area. Aqua stood for a moment, rubbing her arms to calm herself. Quickly, she followed after him. The bridge was darker than she expected, and she blinked at the slivers of light that peered through the cracks in the braids of plants above her.

Minutes ticked by, and she could not see Vanitas in front of her. Eventually the sunlight of the exit became clear, and she hurried her pace, her fingers brushing against the side of the bridge, and she hissed when a thorn stabbed her finger. She stumbled into the light, blinded for a moment, and she squinted through the glare at Vanitas, who was sitting on a platform. All around the platform was water, a river running underneath the ground. A dome arched overhead, and flowers hung down from it, brushing the top of his head.

"This is the girl?" a deep, rasping voice asked. Aqua turned immediately, her stomach twisting, and she saw a old, tanned man standing a few feet from her.

"Yes," Vanitas said, folding his arms across his chest. "Shall we start, then?"

"Start?" Aqua asked faintly. The man's lips curled unpleasantly, and Aqua felt herself taking a step back into the darkness.

* * *

><p><em>I updated because today (like seven hours from now) is my first day of school, and updates might not happen as usual. Don't worry, I fully intend on completing this story, even if I have to try and rush it.<em>

_I'd like to ask for some reviews this time around if that's okay? The reviews for this story have been getting kind of sparse, and I'm curious to know who's still reading._

_The first part of this chapter was a dream. Don't take too much of it seriously, and try to look at is like you would Dream Drop Distance. AS IN DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SEE._

_And Rhyme gets a point of view! I got bored with Kairi, and I thought Rhyme might push the plot a long a little more. I was right._

_Google translate won't translate the song correctly so I went through the trouble of finding it again._

_On top of the house there are white fairies  
>Playing and frolicking under the gentle moonlight<br>Here they come calling my baby  
>To draw him into their great fairy mound.<em>


	17. Ghost in Glamour

**{ghost in glamour}**

"Who…?" Aqua's hand flew out to the flower wall, but her fingers closed around the thorny vines, and she recoiled. "Who are you? Start _what_?" It hadn't occurred to her that Vanitas had referred to her as a female, and she was honestly too panicked to take notice.

The roar of the water muddled her thoughts and she stared at Vanitas as he stood up, his head tilting. "Start your training," he said. "You wanted to know why I wanted you on the ship, right?"

"I…" Her eyes moved to the old man's face, and she shuddered at his crazed, power hungry expression. "Training. What are you training me for? I already know how to use a sword."

"Duh!" Vanitas sounded irritated. "_Magic_ training, you idiot! Master Xehanort is going to push you to your full potential."

Aqua blinked, and for a moment she was completely stunned. Then she laughed, clapping her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggles. Neither of them moved to suggest they were angry with her reaction, though Vanitas's shoulders tense.

"Do you honestly think I could manage magic?" she laughed, brushing her hair from her eyes. "That's not my thing. I'm no magician, or mage, or fae."

"Yeah, okay." Vanitas laughed as well, though his was harsh and condescending. "We'll see about that, girly."

"Girly?" Aqua scowled as he stepped toward her, his hand grasping her wrist. "I never fooled you, did I?"

"Nope."

She sighed, and let him lead her onto the platform. She didn't have much of a choice in this, and so she decided she would play along. She turned to the old man, Master Xehanort, and she managed to bow curtly. He watched her with his eerie golden eyes, and Aqua felt her skin crawl beneath the heat of his gaze.

"You can try to teach me if you'd like," Aqua said, folding her arms across her chest. "But don't be disappointed if—"

She cried out as a sphere of Dark matter came spiraling through the air, and she spun away from it, yanking her wrist from Vanitas's grasp. The dark ball followed her, and she let out a strangled scream as it smacked into her abdomen, sending her stumbling at the edge of the platform. She blinked through the pain, her feet pushing forward, and she breathed carefully. Her balance was kept, and she looked around, her body moving before the next sphere could reach her.

She tore her sword from its scabbard and ducked under the sphere, sliding the blade upward and cutting through it swiftly. She hissed as the Darkness splashed against her skin, black and thick and burning like fire. It was also sticky, and inconsistent, oozing and spreading around her fingers.

"What is this?" she spat, bending over the river and sticking her burnt arm in the water. The Darkness crackled, and fell apart. Aqua blinked at the river, wondering if the sun was catching the glimmering water.

"What does it look like?" Vanitas was amused, but as Aqua cradled her arm, she was in no joking mood. She looked at him, her anger growing and growing the more she thought about her situation.

"If you want to try and teach me magic, fine!" She dropped her arm to her side. "But throwing this stuff at me won't do anything!"

"It did." The sound of Master Xehanort's voice made her shudder, and she glanced at him. He stood, hunched over as he was. His smile was nasty, and it only made Aqua's discomfort grow.

"I'm sorry?" Aqua stepped back, jumping when her shoulder bumped against Vanitas's. She glared at him when he grabbed her wounded arm, shoving it toward her face.

"Magic is always there," he said. "You just don't notice it."

Aqua frowned, glancing at her arm. The burns appeared to be lighter than she'd originally thought, but that meant nothing. It still ached, and she was still angry, and she really did not understand what was going on. "If you're going to teach me, teach me!" she said, tugging her arm away. "But don't throw flaming balls of Darkness at me, alright?"

"No promises there," Vanitas chuckled pushing her toward the center of the platform.

Then the real training began.

* * *

><p>When she woke up that morning she launched into the questions. He answered as best he could, but Naminé knew he was uncomfortable telling her a lot of it. She found out that as children, Ven and Roxas had been cursed by a faerie, and that was why Roxas turned into a wolf at night. They'd joined the crew after that, and grew up on the ship. At fifteen they'd joined the crew for good, and… well, Ven had chosen not to speak much else about that.<p>

"How can you fly?" she asked as he led her up the side of a hill, his hand in hers. "Was that part of the curse?"

He laughed, and he looked up at the sky. The island was very pretty, prettier than anything Naminé had ever seen. The trees were all wider than her entire body, with hollow insides, and speckled black trunks. The branches were skinny, and winding, leaves hanging low and thick. The paths were pale stone, and it glittered in the morning sunlight. Ven was stepping lightly, almost as if the path would collapse beneath him.

"What kind of curse would flying be?" he asked, looking down at her. "No, it's just… something that happened after I joined the crew. I realized that whenever I think about something that makes me happy, my feet moved farther from the ground."

She'd say that it seemed strange, but she thought about her dreams, and kept quiet. "Whenever you think of something happy?"

He nodded. The path twisted, and the moved uphill. Naminé paused when the sounds of laughter and song hit her ears. "My brothers, or my home, or adventure. I don't know how it works, it just does. But whenever I'm particularly nasty… last night doesn't count, I had good intentions— I have trouble flying. It's like there's a weight inside me whenever I think negatively. I can get away with hating myself sometimes, but… usually it's very difficult to fly under that kind of pressure."

He smiled and tucked his hands into his pockets, jerking his head forward. "Anyway, we're on the Isle of Destiny… it's the closest Isle to the mainland, and it's also home to loads of Free Fae. It's rarer to find a human here than it is to find a monster."

"Is this your home?" She saw that the hill inclined, and she stopped to peer down, her eyes widening at the view. There was a village, the houses cramped together, some of them seeming to meld into one. Naminé thought that it looked quite different from the Heartlands, but strangely prettier…

"No," Ven said. "I just live here."

"Isn't that what home is?"

Ven seemed to struggled for an answer, and he ignored the question altogether. "Come on, there's someone down here you've gotta meet!" he cried, running down the hill. She wondered if he was feeling too unhappy to fly, but after a moment he was in the sky, and she was forced to run after him.

She did not know Ven, but in her heart she had trouble not trusting him. He was just like Roxas, wasn't he? How could she ignore that? And so she followed, and let herself be consumed by the sounds of foreign languages, and the strange sights of creatures she hadn't imagined existed. There was a little girl whose lips were melded into her skin, and small faceless creatures hopped around, their arms outstretched as they tried to find their eyeballs…

"She's a banshee," Ven said, pointing to the little girl. "A baby one, but still. When she wants to scream, the skin peels back from her mouth, and… well, never mind. It's just really terrifying."

Naminé tried to imagine, but she was having trouble seeing the girl as anything other than a small, mouthless child. She quickly sped up her pace, bundling her hair in her arms so it wouldn't drag on to ground, and she tried to think of what else to ask. She wanted to know what he knew about her, why she felt so drawn to the wolf… or Roxas, rather, and why Vanitas hated her. She wanted to know why her dream had taken that turn, and she wanted to know who she was, where she came from.

"This way!" he cried, landing a few feet ahead of her. He looked around wildly for a moment before stopping in front of an inn. Naminé buried her face in her hair, ignoring the queer looks she was getting. They stepped into the inn, and the a few smells hit her at once. Something bitter, but still pleasant wafted from the bar, and a sweet syrupy odor as well. She blinked, her eyes swiveling around the foyer. It seemed that quite a few people were up and about, bustling around and laughing and chatting. Creatures of all kinds flitted between tables, and sat by the hearth, and read in corners.

"So," Ven said, shrugging as he walked up to the bar. "Welcome to the village of outcasts, Naminé."

"Outcasts?" inquired a man who appeared before them, his body lax as he dropped a goblet in front of Ven's face and poured a deep brown, steaming liquid into it. "I wouldn't call us _that_!"

Ven rose and eyebrow, and he hopped up onto a stool. He held out his hand for Naminé, but she shook her head, and pushed herself onto the barstool on her own. "I'm so sorry," Ven said. "My mistake. Naminé, welcome to the village of fallen angels."

The man barked a laugh, and he turned his gaze to her. He was wearing dark tinted spectacles, his face seeming to mold around them. He was dark haired and pale skinned, his cheeks covered in short stubble. He pushed the glasses over the bridge of his nose to peer at her, and she hugged her hair uncomfortably.

"Not quite true!" He smiled, his eyes flashing away from her. "But, whatever, close enough. So, how've you been, windy? Haven't seen you in a few weeks. Oh, this came for you by the way." The man tossed a neatly folded, sealed piece of parchment onto the bar. Ven glanced at it and pocketed it immediately.

"Busy." Ven took the goblet, and he shrugged. "A lot has happened, and I'm not really sure what to do."

"Well, let me be your friendly barkeep, always willing to spit out advice." The man stuck his hands in his pockets, and she noticed how casually he was dress, a simple white under shirt, a plain black vest, and a dark pair of trousers. "Wanna start with goldilocks over here?"

"Ha," Ven took a sip from the cup, smiling nervously. "See something I didn't, Mr. H?"

"I always do." He grinned, and hunched his shoulders. "Where'd you find her?"

Ven looked at her, and she shifted in her chair. "Vanitas's ship, actually. Dunno what she was doing there, but she's probably better off here, right?"

Mr. H laughed again, throwing his head back. "Oh yeah! Boy, that's bad luck, getting stuck with the heartless sucker."

"Heartless?" Naminé said distantly. "He's… he is rather mean, but I don't think heartless is really the term—"

Ven frowned, and took a gulp of his drink to hide it, just as Mr. H cut her off. "No, goldilocks, no. I mean he's actually heartless. Long time going too, the poor kid."

"He…" There was a chilly feeling in the pit of her stomach, and the longer it took to sink in, the more she seemed to feel _guilty_. "Heartless? As in, his actual— his true, beating heart?"

Ven nodded, setting down his drink. "You didn't know?" He looked at the barkeep, who shrugged. "It's the reason why he's so prickly toward everyone. He doesn't know what to do or how to feel, so he just… goes with his instincts I guess. Axel says he was better when he was human, but I'm not really so sure. I just can't imagine a nice Vanitas."

"Me neither…" she murmured. "So… what happened? To his heart, I mean."

"Got it ripped out." Mr. H's lips twisted, and he seemed to not like this idea. "That was years before either of you were born, but I remember it pretty clear. It was the biggest gossip in the fae world at the time, considering the Unseelie Queen was the one who did the ripping."

Was she the one who cursed him then? Naminé thought about all the dreams, and the confusion, and she wondered if this faerie queen was the one who haunted her subconscious. "I think he blames me for that," she admitted, staring at her hands.

Ven looked surprised. "Why?" He gaped, and looked to Mr. H, who was no longer listening, his gaze on a barmaid in the corner. "You were probably born after the Queen fell! Why would he blame you?"

"I don't know."

"Sounds silly," Mr. H said. "Very Vanitas-like."

"Have you ever met him?" Naminé asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, years and years ago. I think he still had his heart then, but it was a brief meeting, I couldn't be sure."

"Have you ever met the Queen?"

"Oh, yeah." He rounded the bar, his eyes still on the little barmaid. "I've knew her back when she was just a wisp of a faerie, just a little princess who hadn't even grown into her wings yet." He looked at Naminé and grinned. "I think I know why you're asking. You've been having funny dreams about the princess and the monster, right?"

Naminé stayed silent, not sure how to respond. She didn't have to, because Mr. H was already flagging down the barmaid, his voice carrying across the room. "Hey, now! I give you a job, and you repay me by lounging in front of the fire? Gimme a break!"

The girl jumped to her feet, and Naminé peered over at her. She was clutching a piece of paper in her left hand, though her face seemed pleasant. She was spectacled too, though when Naminé squinted she saw that her eyes were beetle black, and when she smiled her teeth were too pointy.

_She's a fae too._ Ven seemed to notice her staring, and he smiled at her. "That Shiki!" he chirped. "She used to be an Unseelie fae, but since the Queen died she's worked here. She's the fastest faerie here, though, so Mr. Hanekoma uses her as a messenger mostly. For the mainland, and sometimes to the Seelie Court way up in the Wastelands."

"She seems nice," she said quietly. The faerie didn't seem to be frightened by Hanekoma, just nervous. By the way she was moving to hide the paper in her hand, Naminé guessed it was something she didn't want him to see.

"She is."

She hoped to sort out her dreams here, but she wasn't sure how much it would help. She had no idea where she fit into all of it, or why she was given the visions of Vanitas and… she assumed it was the faerie queen. She did know that she enjoyed Ven's company though, and she felt a lot safer than she did on the ship.

Perhaps that was enough for now.

* * *

><p>"Rhyme!" Xion cried excitedly, splashing onto the bank of the creek, her smallclothes completely soaked through. Riku looked up from his sword, which he'd been polishing while she played, and he frowned at the girl. Then he sat up abruptly, his eyes going wide.<p>

"_Joshua_?" He jumped to his feet and grabbed Xion's arm before she could run for them. Xion stopped immediately, her eyes flashing up worriedly to Riku's face.

They'd been together now for about a week or so, and she was really starting to enjoy his company. He tried to be quiet, and keep out of her way, but sometimes the mask would slip, and he'd make goofy comments, and make fun of her. It told her that he trusted her, and that perhaps this was a friendship in the making.

Rhyme was very small beside the ashen haired boy, her head below his shoulder. She was barefoot again, though her dress was not made of thistles. No, it looked to be a baldachin fabric, a dress that wrapped tight around her chest, and just beneath her breast the fabric spilled free around her. It was a pale golden color, lighter than her hair, but darker than sunlight.

The boy was dressed just as nicely, his doublet a deep silver color, the clasps intricately carved from what appeared to be ivory. It was simple, but everything about the way he presented himself screamed regal, and despite being a princess herself, Xion felt the urge to genuflect.

"Why so surprised?" Joshua glanced at Riku with curiously tinted purple eyes, and he laughed. The giggle was quite high pitched, higher than Xion's voice it seemed. "I'm the one who sent you here. I wanted to check your progress."

"No," Riku said, pulling Xion behind him. "You didn't. What do you want?"

Rhyme looked up at Joshua, her face betrayed her worry. "Joshua, I don't think you—"

"I didn't bring you here to think, Rhyme, though thank you, it's greatly appreciated." Joshua's voice was terse, and it sent Rhyme backwards a step or two as if someone had physically assaulted her. Xion stared at her, pity welling in her heart. It was cruel of Joshua to speak to her in that way. "Riku, I told you to keep her safe, and you did. But now I have need of her."

"You made me vow to protect her," Riku said. He clutched his sword tighter in his hand. Xion blinked, realizing that was why he'd stayed with her so long.

"I did," Joshua said. "Now I want you to give her to me. You can go back to baby sitting humans, or whatever it is you do."

"I'm a knight," he growled, raising his sword. "And I'm going to keep protecting her until _I_ decide she's safe. From her brother… and from _you_."

Joshua sighed, and he glanced at the tip of the sword as it came dangerously close to his face. "Oh, must we do this? I'm in no mood to squabble."

"Then leave."

"Oh, Riku." Joshua smiled wanly. "You know me better than that, don't you?"

Xion fell back into the creek before she could even register the fight starting. Riku had pushed her, and suddenly the taste of mud filled her mouth, and she pushed herself onto her stomach, spitting and blinking away the water. She looked up, the water rushing over her legs and hands, threatening to sweep her away, and through her sopping wet hair she saw Riku on his knees.

How could the fight be over so quickly? She opened her mouth to call his name, and then she saw who was beside Joshua.

It was not Rhyme. Rhyme was small, and sweet, with short hair and dimples. This was a woman, a fae with a sharp face, and prominent cheekbones, and shoulder length pale hair… paler than Rhyme's, but lighter than Joshua's. She was taller than Joshua, her eyes a startlingly clear blue, and though she wore the same dress as Rhyme, their body shape was nothing alike. This woman looked stunning in the golden fabric, her curves visible even through the weight of the fabric… and oh, she looked regal too, with a crown of flowers atop her head to boot.

"Riku?" she called. Joshua looked at her, and he shrugged. Xion felt herself pushing to get back onto the bank, and when she did she could hear his voice murmuring… something. Apologies and pleas, and… a swear of revenge too. "Riku… she's not here. This is Rhyme. Riku?"

"He can't hear you." Joshua had the strange woman by the arm, and when Xion looked into her eyes, she saw Rhyme's guilt shining through. This was magic, and it was cruel. Rhyme understood this, yet she obeyed for whatever reason. "You see, minds are very tricky things, but they are easily fooled. Manipulate someone's surrounding's just a little, and you can place them in a waking dream. That means poor Riku doesn't have the sense to differentiate a glamoured Rhyme from a dead girl."

"Joshua," Rhyme murmured. "This is the last time I'm helping you with something like this. This… this is awful."

Joshua turned from Rhyme and took Xion by the arm. He said nothing, and did not even look at her when the forest began to fade, and Xion looked back at Riku quickly. She knew she should have thought, but her mind had been muddled and she'd been sort of entranced by both Rhyme and Joshua.

When Rhyme began to play with the bell at her neck, Xion wondered how long she'd be able to keep up the charade, and stay by this ashen haired boy's side.

* * *

><p><em>Wow, I haven't updated in awhile. Oops. I also missed White Knight's second anniversary, I think... yeah, guys, I do plan on finishing it. It's practically done. I just need to reread it, I think (ugh), and then write an epilogue.<em>

_did i even reveal anything in this chapter god damn it_

_OH HANEKOMA._

_Okay, I am so sorry I didn't stick to the TWEWY characters who were only in 3D... but Hanekoma is super important to Joshua's character, and also he's just a great person to be the info man. I had to put him in. _

_Also spoilers for TWEWY with Shiki's appearance. Sorry, guys, I can't write her with Eri's body. =[ It feels weird. _

_Can I please have some reviews? =]_


	18. Wolf-Boy and Dark Heart

**{wolf-boy and dark heart}**

A week had passed by without her even realizing it. She found herself buried in her quest to learn magic, and after two days of dodging fireballs, she found that she actually _could_ manipulate the water around her. A little. She didn't quite believe her own abilities until the third day.

"You want me to fight him?" She didn't sound as surprised as she felt, and when Vanitas pulled his sword from his scabbard, she found herself terrified. She had no idea how he fought, not like she knew Terra's style, and she knew he had to be good. He was the captain, after all.

Vanitas ended up attacking before she unsheathed her sword, and she found herself scrambling to not get hit. He was a blur, moving as fast as Roxas had on the ship… maybe faster. His feet seemed to leave the ground when he moved toward her, and it was all she could do to block his blows. She was growing breathless, and her mind wasn't in the fight at all, allowing Vanitas to easily stuck his blade in her gut.

For all Aqua's determination, she never once thought of the possibility that she might die. She thought about being forced into a blood oath, and she thought about escaping the ship, but dying had never been an option. Her mind was set on living through all of this from the very beginning… and yet, she'd been mortally wounded. For all of her hard work, she had nothing to prove. Her training with Terra, and her travels across the sea, and now two days of gritty practice, all of that for what? Dying at Vanitas's hand?

She didn't remember it too well now, not with all the other magical things that had been forced upon her in the last three days, but she did recall pushing him back, and smashing his helmet with the pummel of her sword as she tried to gain a bit more strength.

Somehow she had healed herself that day… and now she paid for that with constant work, her entire body growing sore from forcing herself to stand on her hands for hours, and cartwheel around the platform while throwing up shields to guard herself. The shields were just ice, but they did their job well enough… even against fire. Though it had taken a day itself to get it right, and her clothes were nearly shredded to bits. No one asked about the bandages around her chest, because they all figured she'd been wounded.

She was tired all the time now, her eyelids heavy and swollen, and she wondered what she looked like. She was careful not to catch her reflection in the water, and as she trained more, she realized she probably appeared to be a completely different person. Would Terra recognize her now? She figured her hair might give her away, but all the same, she needed a break. Even if she could form a stable shield, and freeze the water temporarily, it meant next to nothing. She wasn't going to get where they wanted her to be in such a short amount of time.

Now, after a week on the Isle of Sleep, it seemed Master Xehanort wanted to push Aqua farther.

"I would suggest giving into your Darkness at this point," he rumbled, his queer gold eyes dead set on her face. She was frightened of him more than she cared to admit. "But I am not unintelligent, I understand that will only break you, and you are necessary to complete our task."

Aqua stood rigidly as he pressed a hand to her cheek, a harsh smile curling on his lips. "You were not made for Darkness, my pet, and so I will not force it onto you— if you do this right. You must learn at a faster pace than you are learning now. And so, I will set you to this task, and if you complete it, I will send you on your way. If you fail, I will put your heart to the test, and let the Darkness devour you. Is that clear?"

Her skin was crawling at his touch, and she felt the urge to vomit. But she kept herself as composed as possible, and she slapped his hand away. "Clear as day," she spat.

He smiled again, the curl of his lips allowing his face to pinch in a skeletal manner. His skin clung to the bone, and Aqua could see the shape of his skull beneath the tanned flesh. Xehanort was even more mysterious than Vanitas, and Aqua felt infuriatingly uncomfortable around him. His gaze made her skin crawl, and at the touch of his withered fingers, she recoiled.

"Today you shall take the glamour off Vanitas," said the old Master, his voice rasping as he spoke.

"What?" Aqua and Vanitas snapped in unison. She glanced at him, pushing the distance between them as much as possible. "Master, I don't quite understand what you mean."

Vanitas seemed to be rigid as he turned his head downward. Glamour had not been a word she'd been taught. She did not understand what it was, or how to accomplish such a task.

"Vanitas, your helm." It was a command, one that was weighed heavily by superiority. Aqua could tell the Master had a huge impact on what Vanitas did with his life, just by the way he spoke. He had the air of a Lord, and the voice of a monarch. He was also despicable, and his expressions always made him look vile.

But still, Vanitas did what was bid him. He placed his gloved fingers against the ridge of his helm slipping them under the gap, and he twisted. The helmet gave an audible click, a sound loud enough to be heard over the soft flow of the water, and he pulled the helm from his face.

She'd seen his face before, but she was still not used to the odd gold of his eyes. They were not the same as Xehanorts, for their color was softer, muted and more natural. His face was comely enough, but sometimes she found herself comparing it to Terra's. Terra was a handsome man, and she could never deny it. Vanitas was rather plain, his features long and never appealing to her much.

"Focus on his face," Xehanort said. Aqua did just that, taking note of his appearance. He was just plain… and now that she stared closer, he looked rather like Ven and Roxas. The way his nose was rounded, and also the softened point of his chin… the shape of his eyes as well, they were wider than most, and set farther apart.

After a few minutes of staring at each other, Aqua and Vanitas seemed to grow tired of it. Vanitas's eyes flashed away from her face sometimes, and then he looked back with a tired glare. It was silly, but Aqua was focusing as much as she could on her task, and trying to ignore the ache in her legs and arms.

"Now," said Xehanort. "Push all your energy into looking for his true form. Imagine his skin slipping off to reveal his true self."

She wanted to ask what that meant, but she was trapped in her own mind. She tried to do this, to look for a hint of Vanitas's true nature in his face, but the boy only glowered, and rolled his eyes. No, this wasn't right. She could feel something, though, a glimmer of coolness that radiated from his skin, and she tried to pull at it mentally. Her mind plucked at straws, feeling the air around her for clues, for a trace of magic, but she was coming up with only wisps of the 'glamour'. But that was not substantial enough for her to reach for.

She stood for hours trying this. She began to see the wisps as they clung to his skin, faint pink and glowing bright red, melting into a pale orange and yellow. The wisps of magic were growing, and soon she noticed his entire body seemed to be swimming in a mist of oranges and blues, flowing in a swirling motion around his form.

The sun glinted through the cracks in the dome, hitting the magic and sending it shimmering. She wondered where this sight had come from, why she hadn't seen it before, why she was only unlocking this ability now. She had a feeling it was because of Xehanort. He was doing something to her, and she didn't like it.

She was closer to him now, their bodies inching closer through the passing hours. She stared at the glistening particles, her fingers brushing across them. They were palpable now, and her skin prickled at the soft dust-like substance. Her fingers looped around the slim veil of magic, and the dust scattered around her hand, licking her wrist in a thousands of quickly changing specks.

Magic was so strange. It tickled, and tingled, and she felt elated with the power of it. What was glamour, anyway? It seemed to cling to her skin just as it did Vanitas's, and the multicolored dust swayed in the a breeze, falling in a flow, back and forth, floating away and being sucked back in. They were beautiful, and they were prickly, and Aqua felt drunk in the presence of it.

She took the dust in her hand, her fingers closing around the glistening particles, and she stared into Vanitas's eyes. Gold clashed with the vermilions and violets and periwinkles of the shifting dust, and he watched her with an empty stare. The glamour stuck to her skin, and she stepped back.

Her stomach twisted when it _tore_, the dust scattering all around her. She was blinded by the hot-white blaze that enveloped her, and she stumbled back, Vanitas's screams hitting her ears as she batted away the magic, cringing as the dust dug into her exposed skin, scratching at her face and neck and arms.

When the dust fell away, Vanitas was on his knees, his fingers clawing at his face, which stretched and ripped against his touch. She stared, and listened to his agonized screams as the skin fell away into the river.

* * *

><p>Neku visited her during the second week of her humanity, reminding her immediately of the time she had left. She turned to him, her eyes bright, and she shook her head.<p>

_I don't care_, she thought. _I feel so alive, Neku, I don't care if my time is running out!_

"Kairi." He looked irritated, his nostrils flaring a bit. She rolled her eyes at him, a silly smile still on her lips. She spun, her skirts swirling at her feet, and she looked at herself in the mirror. Silly Kairi, silly little mermaid, all decked out like a normal human, her hair twisted atop her head in a swirl of crimson braids, and her dress a faint pink, almost orange color. It was tight around her breasts, the bodice laced all the way up her back with white ribbon, and her waist was trimmed with lace that traced her hips.

_I look like one of them, _she thought sadly. And she truly did. No one thought her to be strange. She was one of them… but not on the inside. On the inside there was something still cold, a lump of ice in her stomach.

"Yes," he said. He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at his feet. "I look human too, but that doesn't mean I am."

She spun to face him. He was human, though! More so than she would ever be, and she screamed that at him, or at least she tried to. Her lips moved, and she scowled, her fists closing tightly at her sides. He was human. He had feelings!

He chuckled mirthlessly, his eyes flickering to hers. "I have a human body, but I think growing up in a faerie court made me… a monster, to put it simply. I don't feel… anything. When I kill people, I mean. That makes me less human than Riku, or even you."

_That isn't true._ She looked at him, trying desperately to get him to understand that it wasn't, that he was human if he believed he was, and that it didn't matter… in her heart she had a twinge of doubt, but she could not think such a thing.

He knew though.

"They call me Joshua's dog," Neku said in a dead tone. "Because I rarely question his orders. I just do them, and sometimes that involves killing someone. A faerie, or a human, or a monster— do you see now? I only learned that I don't have to listen to him all the time a year ago. Before that, I was a pawn in a game that I couldn't comprehend. And now I still can't feel anything when I slit a man's throat, or drop poison in a little Lord's goblet."

Why was he telling her this, then? She looked around her chamber, which was barren compared to Queen Aerith's, and she found herself wondering if Neku was trying to tell her something. She felt an itch in her throat, the need to snap that if he was so emotionless, then why did he feel so guilty now?

"I'm telling you because I don't believe you are going to survive this." Neku looked at her, his expression twisting. "Joshua would say something vague right about now, but I think he's an asshole the way he handles things. If you keep going like this, you're going to get your soul ripped out. It's not worth any of this. It's not worth feeling human, because humanity is not specific. You can be happy in a human body, but you won't understand what you've been given until you're gone."

Kairi had no response. She stared at Neku, and he stared back, solemn, and guilty, and human. She understood that he was trying to help her, trying to make up for his own mistakes, but she didn't understand how she could feel human. What was this? How could she possibly prove herself to have an ounce of humanity? She suddenly felt scared, and stupid for her rash decision. No matter how happy she was now, it would be over soon.

She needed to go. She didn't know how Neku had gotten into her chamber, but she had to go meet Aerith, and she couldn't keep a queen waiting. She wished she could ask him more about himself, but she had a feeling this was all she would get.

"If you want to try and be more human," Neku said, walking toward the window. "I think you should take a stab at broadening your world."

Her world? She didn't understand… her world was being human, and being with Sora… what else could she do? She didn't understand. How could that work?

"Just think about it," he said, climbing onto the perch as a knock startled her. Kairi looked at her door, and then at Neku… but he was gone.

Neku wasn't a completely magical being… he was just a boy who had an ability he could not explain. So his comings and goings made little sense to Kairi, who wished for an answer to his oddities. She ran to her door, swinging it open to greet Sora with a smile. He smiled back brightly, and he held out his arm to her.

_He has no idea, _she thought miserably as he led her outside the castle, Aerith trailing behind. _Neku thinks I should give it all up, and be content with being a mermaid… perhaps he's right. Sora doesn't understand what I am. He won't accept me— Ven couldn't even accept me._

She was hopeless. Even as he chatted to her with all of his amicable nature, she found herself drowning. She had been so happy before Neku had reminded her of the two weeks she had left until she was gone… a month had been so little time to recognize her own humanity. Joshua must have known this, and Neku as well. He'd warned her from the very beginning not to make a deal with the faerie king…

Her soul was lost. Kairi's shoulders tensed as sadness welled in her eyes, her throat constricting painfully, and she bit her lip. Was this true sorrow? It felt just as bad as the sadness she had felt as a mermaid— painful and difficult to bear. Sora was so kind, but he could never understand. Sora had mentioned the day before that Ven had sent him a letter from one of the Isles, mentioning something about Prince Terra's friend who had found herself on a pirate ship. The reason she'd become human was all the way across the sea! This had been an awful idea, she realized now. She had been stupid and blind from the very beginning!

"Kairi?" Sora asked faintly, his fingers traveling to her cheeks. He did not touch her, but his hand hovered before her vision as tears flooded her eyes. She'd never cried before. Her chest ached, and her lips trembled, and her eyelashes kept sticking together. She was finding it hard to breathe.

She smiled at him with her trembling lips, swallowing the tears. She would not cry. She was stronger than this… she could be human! She had to try. _If only I could tell you…_

"Sora!"

They both spun around, her tears drying in her eyes, and she smiled wider as Riku came stumbling toward them. She waved at him, and moved forward, but she stopped the moment he fell to his knees. Kairi blinked, and she gathered her skirts, quickly running to his side. Sora made it to him before she did.

"Riku?" Sora held his friend's arm, tentatively pulling him to his feet. "What happened to you?!"

He said nothing. His face was smeared with dirt and blood, and Kairi found herself pushing his hair from his eyes as Sora stood to call for help. He was staring at her, his eyes shadowed by grief and rage and pain, and she saw the wound across his chest… something had sliced through his jerkin and mail and smallclothes, and beneath the leather blood had bubbled and spilled over. Kairi placed her hands on his chest, her mind on a spell that could easily fix it, but he slapped her hand away.

She looked away sadly. It wasn't like she could sing it anyway.

When she moved to stand up, Riku grabbed her wrist, his face pale beneath the grime and gore. She noticed his glamour was gone— he looked like the faerie he was.

He pulled her closer, his split lip brushing against her ear as he hissed, "Do not trust Neku."

* * *

><p>Roxas sat placidly on a rail as Beat babbled about faeries, and how awful they were… Roxas couldn't remember the fae that had cursed him, not truly, but he did recall the beauty of her face. She had smiled at him, he remembered, as she took Ven by the arm, and tilted his head back, and pried his mouth open.<p>

He remembered her kiss as well. It had been soft, and innocent, like a mother's kiss. She'd pressed her pale lips to his forehead, her skin as cold as winter and as soft as silk, and she murmured gently, "Oh, if only you had not gotten in the way…"

It was a hazy memory. He could not remember the exact details of it, but he remembered the agony as it all sunk in. She had called him a wolf-boy. And then he became one.

Still, he did not hate faeries. He could barely remember the fae who had done this to him, and he'd never crossed paths with another. With the stories the crew told, it was apparent they were all vile, but Roxas couldn't bring himself to despise a whole race simply because of one girl's misdeed.

Axel hopped up beside him, ignoring Beat and staring out onto the dock. "Damn," he said. "I missed dry land."

"I did too," Roxas agreed. He remembered his home a little. It had been very big, and there had been a garden… but there had been water, like a river, and there was more stone and trees than flowers. He remembered swimming with Ven, laughing and splashing through the waist high water.

"We'll be heading out soon." Axel pulled his flagon from around his waist and popped the stopper. "Gods, I need some adventure. I don't think we've raided anyone in weeks."

"We haven't." Roxas glanced behind him at the sunset, and he shifted uncomfortably. He needed to leave, but the captain was not back yet. He really did not want to leave Xigbar in charge. "Which is probably a good thing. I feel enough guilt from the nighttime escapades; raiding just makes me feel like a monster."

"Welcome to the crew. Got it memorized?"

Roxas chuckled as his friend took a swig from the leather flagon, and Beat wandered off to go do his chores. Roxas had felt a little better this week, knowing Naminé had left with Ven… but only a little. He missed her company in spite of himself, and he remembered how she seemed to be the only thing on the ship that wasn't _tainted_. She was as sweet as a child.

"I want to die," he said softly, slipping from the rail. Axel stared at him, taken aback by his declaration.

He sighed through his nose and jumped down as well. "We all do." His jaw clenched, and he glanced away from Roxas's face. "That doesn't mean we can, or that we have to if the curse is broken. We're pretty young— we have a lot of life left."

"I don't." Roxas could feel his skin moving already, and his muscles tense. He began to walk towards the passage to the lower decks. "I've been cursed twice, Axel, and I already tried to die once. I'll do it again if I ever have the chance."

"What about your brother?"

Roxas paused. Oh, he thought about Ven. He thought about Ven all the time, wondering how guilty he felt about leaving Roxas behind. But still, he made the resolve a long time ago that if either of them was going to live longer, it would be Ven. He had too much charisma, too much potential… he was the one who could fly, and laugh despite his sorrow, and he was the one who had a chance for life. Roxas had been dead for a long, long time… his body was just an animated corpse now, with some feelings that he faked, and some hopes that would never come alive.

"Ven's braver than me," Roxas murmured. "He doesn't need to die with me again."

As they moved, Roxas spotted Aqua on the dock, and he paused. "Hey, is that…?"

"Vanitas." Axel grinned and shook his head. "Man, she must have whooped his ass. Finally."

Roxas tried to respond, but only a scream came out. He clamped his hand over his mouth, hissing through his teeth as his nails elongated, and his skin tore around his fingers. He felt Axel's hand on his shoulder, and a growl rumbled in his throat. He struggled, his bones snapping beneath his skin, and he began to howl, his head pounding as his skin warped and pinched and pulled.

He screamed again, just as he heard her voice in his head.

_Roxas, _whispered the girl with golden hair. He could almost see her face through his blinding pain. _Your life is too precious to throw away. Remember._

* * *

><p>Naminé pulled herself from the dream, her arms flying out. Ven caught her with ease, his hands clasping around hers, and he smiled.<p>

"What did you see this time?" he asked, lifting her from the chair. She spotted Hanekoma sitting near the fire, assessing her behind his dark spectacles.

"You," she blurted, her fingers digging into his hands. "And Roxas. What the queen did to you."

Ven's face seemed to darken at this, and he looked at Hanekoma. The barkeep shrugged and stood up. "Try again," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But this time, try to pay attention to where you are."

"I've done that," she said. She looked down at her bare feet, and she recalled the little boys, only eight years old, who had been dragged out of bed and cursed by a queen who had no reason to target them. "It's just a chamber… big enough for two boys, but not entirely extravagant. I don't… I'm not sure what you want me to see."

"Scoot, windy, lemme talk to the girl." Hanekoma playfully nudged Ven out of the way, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Okay, what you've got to do is separate yourself from the rest of the memory. Right now you are tapping into the subconscious of people in the event, but you have to subtract yourself from everything— even your own mind."

This had started the night she'd arrived. Hanekoma had sat her in front of the fire before she went to bed, and handed her a strange concoction… it was mashed roots and flower petals and it tasted bitter. He made her swallow it all, and when she did she felt heavy. Soon after she fell asleep.

The dreams had been much more vivid, and she was beginning to control where they went. She saw Vanitas's calmer side, and she realized how human he had once been. He laughed sometimes in these memories, and joked, and smiled. He looked every ounce of the boy he was. And yet, she always sensed something darker in those smiles and laughs than he let on.

"You never said how I could do this," she said quietly as he walked toward the bar. Everyone was long asleep, and Ventus was only staying up to keep an eye on her. He said tomorrow they'd go into town and maybe he'd fly her around some more. He was teaching her about the world, too. About the things she didn't understand, the plants and things she'd never seen in her tower.

"You're just special." Hanekoma shrugged again, and he returned with a pestle in hand. It appeared he had already mashed up the roots and other… things while she'd been sleeping. He held out the bowl, and she stared at it.

She didn't understand what she was doing here. Ven said it was where he went when he had nowhere else to go, but it seemed like Hanekoma knew exactly why she was here, and he was exploiting it. Still, she felt as if she had no other choice but to take the mortar in her dainty hands, and bring it to her lips.

The mashed substance was more of a paste than anything else. She wrinkled her nose as the speckled grey concoction slid through her lips, hitting her tongue in a clash of acidity and dulcetness. She threw her head back, downing the thick grey paste in one go. Hanekoma immediately took the mortar back, and by the time Ven was at her side, she was loosing balance.

Her vision swam, and she felt Ven's arm around her as she toppled over…

She hated this. She had no want or need to harm a child, but here she was, slipping into a nursery like a common pixie. She found that oft, she was the one who ended up doing the dirty work, not her servants. Perhaps it was better that way.

They were sleeping, and took no notice to her. Her intentions were dark, and she felt guilty standing over the boy's bedside. _So small_, she thought. _What am I doing?_

Stop, a voice that sounded softer than her own, and lighter. Stop thinking. Subtract yourself.

That was silly. She had work to do now. Her long fingers landed on the boy's face, and she gently brushed his hair from his eyes. He wrinkled his nose and rolled onto his side.

Ven, she thought distantly… oh, this was Ven! He opened his eyes, and for a moment she thought he would scream… but he seemed to be in a trance, his eyes foggy with sleep and awe. He sat up when she beckoned him to, and slid from his bed.

She set down the box she'd been holding, and opened it. Inside was a heart, still beating as if it were in its owner's chest…

She held it out to him, and he stepped back. She shook her head and reached for him, but he turned—

"Naminé!"

She opened her eyes, blinking up at Ven. She was bleary eyed, and she frowned. "I…" she slurred as he pulled her to her feet. "I didn't finish…"

"Hide her," Hanekoma hissed, pushing the duo toward the stairwell. "Do not come down until I say it's okay!"

"What…?" She clung to Ven as he pulled her up the stairs, dragging her into darkness.

* * *

><p><em>Hey, guys, this is my first update of this story since I 'finished' White Knight. I hope more people will review this now? Like, please?<em>

_Once Upon a Time is back as well, which means more inspiration for this! Hurray!_

_Um, I think this chapter is pretty straight forward? Not much to really explain here. Xion was left out so I could add Roxas for like five seconds, but she'll be back next chapter._

_Cool? Cool. Review, please! I BEG OF YOU._


	19. Summer in Winter

**{summer in winter}**

The little village was not what she had been expecting from a faerie refuge. It was pretty, all white and grey stone and bright red and black bricks. Trees twisted high into the sky, appearing like pale malformed giants in the darkness. Wind whistled through the leaves, and she stuck closer to Rhyme's side when she began noticing gleaming red eyes in the shadows.

Rhyme glanced up at her, and she smiled. "Don't worry, Princess," she said. "No one will hurt you as long as Neku and I are here."

Xion looked at the orange haired boy. He was taller than her, his face solemn and soft, and he resembled a child in some ways. He had a sweet face, but a cold demeanor. It made her try and keep her distance from him. She wondered if the young knight, who she learned was only two years older than her, would truly defend her against the monsters that lurked in the dark.

"I know," Xion said, returning the smile. "I've never been around faeries before, though. I'm just a little… um…"

Rhyme laughed. "You're spooked, is all," she concluded, shaking her head. "I don't blame you. Sometimes even I find myself frightened of fae."

"With good reason," Joshua chortled from ahead. Rhyme glanced at him, her eyes flashing in the dark. Xion knew that girl was angry with the king of faeries, but it seemed as if he'd been trying very hard to make it up to her. "Many fae are horrible creatures, and humans are easy prey."

"You should keep a tighter leash on them," Rhyme murmured. "Laws go the way kings direct."

"I'm only the king of some faeries, Rhyme." Joshua shrugged, his body shifted in the shadows ahead of them. "And I can't fight nature. Fae hunt humans. They murder children, steal hearts of maids, and smash skulls of men to gulp up their brains. I have no call over the ways the gods made us."

"I suppose," Rhyme said. She tilted her head back, her eyes landing on the stars the speckled the sky. Xion noticed she watched the stars quite a lot, and she was itching to ask why. "But even so, Joshua, you should take great care in where you plant your feet. People follow the ways of their king." She looked at him then, and she smiled knowingly.

Joshua said nothing in response to that, and Xion wondered if Rhyme had finally struck a cord with him. Xion looked to Neku, and she saw that he was smiling as well, like Rhyme had just told a jape, and only they knew the meaning of it. Xion found that she admired the little changeling for her boldness. She did not seem to fear Joshua, even if he was her king.

She was relieved when they stepped into the small inn, warmth tickling her face. She pushed back the hood of her cloak, glancing around the little room. There was a hearth, and a few round tables and chairs. It was cozy enough. Neku immediately dropped beside to fire, tossing his own cloak aside. Rhyme followed him, though she kept her milky colored cloak draped around her.

"Josh," the barkeep greeted, his voice full of dull surprise. "You do realize that you _can_ tell me when you're coming, right?"

"And ruin the suspense?" Joshua laughed, and he tossed his ashen hair from his eyes. "Never!"

"Hello, Mr. H," Rhyme called from the fire, smiling widely at the barkeep. Mr. H glanced at her.

"Ah, you brought the whole gang." The man rubbed the back of his neck, hunching over a little. He glanced at Xion. "Plus one. Do you want me to go wake up Shiki? She'll throw a fit in the morning if she finds out the lot of you were here, and no one told her."

"I can go get her," Neku said, rising to his feet. "She's probably sewing right now anyway."

Xion watched as he disappeared up the stairs, and she noted Joshua's smirk. "Now if I didn't know any better," Joshua said, cupping his chin, "I'd say Neku was smitten with your little pixie— wouldn't you, Hanekoma?"

"He's human," Hanekoma said with a shrug. "I wouldn't blame him. It's Shiki we should worry about."

"Why?" Rhyme piped up, her eyes widening. "Shiki's nice. She wouldn't hurt Neku."

"Oh, Rhyme, that's not the problem," Joshua sighed. "It's because Shiki is a fae, and Neku is a human. It would not work."

"Why?" Rhyme repeated, lines of confusion creasing on her forehead. "Neku isn't a bad person, and neither is Shiki. They'd work it out if the truly wanted to."

Hanekoma sighed as well, and he scratched his head. "You don't get it," he said. "You're just a kid, so I don't blame you. But faeries… they can live thousands of years and maintain their youth. Neku will die long before any of us have reached mid-age."

Rhyme's eyes widened in a flash of fear and confusion, and Xion's stomach twisted at the thought. It was like one of her love stories. Fate intervened between Neku and this girl, Shiki, it seemed…

"I wouldn't think too much on it, Rhyme," Joshua said quickly. "To be honest, Neku isn't quite the creature of love, so I believe his feelings for Shiki are purely platonic right now."

_Right now_, Xion thought sadly. She remembered how long it took Terra to even entertain the thought of falling in love with Aqua, and she felt a great sorrow for Neku. He had his entire life to develop feelings for this faerie. But it wouldn't be enough.

"So, Josh," Hanekoma said, changing the subject as carefully as he could. "Why exactly are you here?"

"Can I not visit my old friend?"

Hanekoma laughed, and Rhyme did too. "No, you can't," said Hanekoma. Joshua opened his mouth to object, but Rhyme spoke first.

"You have an ulterior motive to every move you make, my liege," she said. "You cannot blame him for the assumption."

"Oh, please!" Joshua rolled his violet eyes, his head rolling back. "It's not as if he's any better."

"I'm your humble servant," Hanekoma said with a wicked grin. "_My liege_."

Joshua smiled at him. "Did you tell that to the Queen of Summer as well?"

Xion sunk beside Rhyme, utterly crushed with confusion. They babbled back and forth like this, Rhyme putting in a few words before sinking into the background again. She found herself thinking of Riku, the faerie knight who had tried so hard to defend her from Joshua… for what? He didn't seem so bad. She wished she could apologize to him, help him through the grief of the girl he lost, but… Riku was still a stranger. So were these people. She had to remember that.

Neku appeared with a small faerie in tow, and Xion stared. She was reminded of the way Rhyme had looked when they had first met, though the girl was taller, and her skin was a normal peachy hue. She had brown hair that fell to her jaw, pinned with a flower, and her teeth were jagged and pointy. Her eyes were the scariest thing, all black, no pupils, and no irises, not a color gleaming behind her spectacles except for the ebony.

"Rhyme!" she gasped as the younger faerie stood. "Oh, why didn't either of you tell me you were coming? I was making you a dress!"

"I hope you didn't design it," Neku quipped. Shiki glared up at him.

"I didn't," she huffed, hugging a stuffed cat to her chest. "But maybe I should design _you_ something."

"I wouldn't wear it."

"Yes you would!" Shiki scowled. "I know you would, you'd feel bad if you didn't!"

"No I wouldn't?" Neku rolled his eyes as Shiki pushed him, and Xion giggled. Rhyme smiled beside her, and Hanekoma barked a laugh. Joshua simply watched. "Stop pushing me."

"Only if you stop being so rude!"

"Hey, break it up!" Hanekoma called. "As much as I enjoy you folk, this is _my_ establishment you're in, and it is currently closed. Buy a room, or tell me why you're here and get out."

"Now," Joshua said, "_that's_ rude."

"He's right," Rhyme said carefully. "We should tell him why we're here."

"I take it that it has something to do with the little black beauty," Hanekoma said, jerking his head at Xion. She blinked, and glanced at Rhyme.

"Oh yes," Joshua said. "Hanekoma, meet Princess Xion of the Heartlands."

"Josh, kidnapping a princess is not really the way to go if peace is on your mind."

"I don't plan on keeping her." Joshua smiled, and Xion thought he looked especially cruel. "Not for much longer, at least. I was hoping you would keep her for a few days while I sorted out… other things."

"That's fine." Hanekoma shrugged. "I'm not into the details, so don't clue me in. The less I know about your schemes, the better."

"It's for the good of the world," Joshua said firmly.

"I hope you're telling the truth." Hanekoma sighed, and Xion saw that he looked much older now, years and years of age wizening his features. Hanekoma had the body of a man in his mid twenties, but he was so much older… Xion could see that now.

Joshua turned toward the door, and Rhyme and Neku stiffened. It seemed as if they were not entirely keen on leaving just yet. Then, Joshua stopped, and he looked back at Hanekoma.

"Oh," he said loftily. "Also, I would like to speak to that pirate you're hiding from me… oh, what _is_ his name? Neku?"

Neku blinked at Joshua, his mouth falling open. "Pirate…? What—?"

"I'll send him down," Hanekoma stated. Xion saw his lip twitch, but no one said a thing.

* * *

><p>"What's happening?" Aqua gasped, nearly dropping Vanitas on the deck as Roxas's twisted shrieks reached her ears. She stared as the last ray of sun blinked over the horizon, and she pushed through Xigbar and Luxord to see what was happening. She bit back a scream of her own as the sight of Roxas's distorted body writhing against the wooden floor. No one dared touch him, it seemed, for his eyes were wild, and the braying of claws against the boards scratched in her ears.<p>

His body bent and snapped, and he howled, his skull caving in with a jarring crack, and his bones shifted beneath his skin like snakes beneath a blanket. Aqua's grip on Vanitas tightened, and she stepped back, watching his hair recede and spring across his twisting body. His bones stopped shifting, and now his skin rippled, his muscles contorting beneath the stretch of flesh.

"Somebody help him!" she cried, her eyes flashing toward the spectators.

"You're mad, Cal," Xigbar hooted. "No one wants to touch wolfie. Especially not while he's changing!"

"No," Aqua said, backing away as Roxas's body went still. "That's silly."

"You say that," Axel hissed. "But look at you. You're just as scared as everyone else."

She froze, and she looked at Roxas. He was suddenly alert, his blue eyes darting wildly, and his mouth pulled back in a vicious snarl. _He's right, _she thought. _Oh gods, that can't be Roxas…_

The wolf was too large to fight, and she had to step back again the moment he turned on her. His teeth glistened in the twilight, pale as the sky above and longer than her pinky finger. She felt Vanitas's head shift, and his body shuddered against her back. He was gaining consciousness, and Aqua found herself wondering if he'd kill her right then and there.

She reached out towards the wolf, impulse taking her, and as it leapt at her she flicked her wrist upward swiftly. Roxas let out a soft yelp, his snout crashing into the magic that pooled around her fingers and formed a concrete shield in the air. Aqua stumbled back, and Roxas howled, hunching his shoulders as he glared.

Aqua rounded on Xigbar. "Get Roxas off the deck," she commanded, her voice harsher than she'd expected. "Luxord, you help him!"

"What? Cal— sweet, naïve, Cal, listen." Xigbar smiled widely, and he leaned back, his one eye narrowing. "We don't take orders from a greenboy like you."

"Oh?" Aqua's lips twitched, and her arms were quivering from Vanitas's weight. He wasn't as heavy as she'd expected, but she still had difficulty holding him for such a length of time. "I'm sorry Xigbar, where is my sense? Roxas is the captain's right hand man, shouldn't he be giving the orders?"

Xigbar looked startled as her eyes flashed to the wolf, and he was snarling at her shield. "I think he wants you as a snack," Aqua said softly. "I doubt Vanitas objects."

"You little—!" Xigbar's hand flew to one of his pistols.

"Do as she says!" rasped a voice at her ear.

She stiffened at the shift in Xigbar's gaze. He stared at her face with his one blazing eye, his entire demeanor changing. His eyes traveled down toward her chest, but of course he saw nothing, for her breasts were bound tightly with bandages. Then, Xigbar hooted.

"You sly bitch!" he cried. His lips drew back, and she saw his yellowed teeth gleam against the twilight. "All this time you've—"

"Be quiet!" Aqua snapped. She was tired of this man's comments. "Did you not hear your captain? Get Roxas off the deck!"

Xigbar's expression flickered, his rage flaring for a moment, before he smiled easily and spun away from her. Luxord watched her curiously, but said nothing, and joined Xigbar as he approached the wolf. The pale sky above them was melting into darkness, the red hue of the sun completely drained from the clouds. All there was now was white and blue and black, like a fresh bruise.

"Axel," Aqua said as the man edged near her. "Steer the ship west."

His narrow red eyebrows rose, and he glanced at Vanitas, who was stirring a little more. She suspected he would command to be put down soon enough. "Aye," Axel said crisply. "West then… to where, exactly?"

"The Heartlands," Aqua breathed, and in her mind she sunk into the sand and gazed at the starry sky, and beside her a boy would hold her hand and whisper the constellations… but that was a dream, and that boy was a prince, and nothing would change that.

* * *

><p>The dungeon stank of piss and mold, the stones all damp from the streams that ran through the castle, and the water would seep through cracks in the grout at times. He tried to keep to the middle of the cell, but it was no help when the walls leaked and the floor flooded, sending him into an ankle deep pool of floating straw and the frozen corpses of mice.<p>

Riku had been thrown into the cell perhaps a day earlier, just after Kairi had managed to treat his wounds. He felt a great appreciation for the little mermaid now, and he felt sorry that he had not reached out to her before this point. She needed help to keep her legs, and he wasted a week trying to get Xion back, when all he accomplished was getting thoroughly poisoned by iron, and then thrown into the dungeon for being a recognized fae.

Faerie. He'd gotten so wrapped up in his need to protect his naïve humans, he forgot for a short while that he wasn't one of them. The Skylands had strict laws on fae, and so he wasn't so surprised when they locked him deep beneath Heaven's Keep— some of his new neighbors sang songs of their wretched home, calling it a frozen hell. It wasn't hard to see why. By the third cell flooding, ice was caked to his breeches, and his entire body was numb.

The Skylands, and their Ruler of the Sky, and their Castle of Heaven… it was no place for a faerie, and his cell was built for the purpose of torturing any poor fae who had the misfortune to get caught within the land. The bars were made of pure iron, and so Riku took to pushing himself as far from them as possible. Still, the acrid hot smell burnt his nostrils, and he could taste the brittle metal on his tongue, hissing and sweltering.

Neku had done a number on Riku, and that was to be sure. Now it was difficult to remember what exactly had transpired that week, but he recalled being stuck in a loop, and just when he thought he was out, Neku would appear, solemn and aloof, and the torture would start all over again. Riku wasn't foolish enough to think that it was all Neku's doing. No, this was Joshua, as a punishment for trying to keep Xion away from him. Still, it only proved Neku's loyalty to the king, and Riku couldn't help but wonder if he'd been the same, once upon a time. He tried to remember how he'd felt when he'd been given to the young Summer Queen, who had taken to him with a shy smile and a gentle voice. She was never like Joshua in the beginning… but he'd changed that, and now he regretted every word he ever spoke to her.

_I should have died with her, _Riku thought miserably. _She was my queen, and I was her knight, and I failed her._

When he slept, he saw her face floating above him, and when he woke it was still there. After a while he wondered if he'd died as well, but he was too cold to truly be gone, so he figured he was feverish. He watched her move about the cell, her pale gold dress streaming behind her, and she hummed a song about white faeries under a hill.

He spoke to her, in a dream, or maybe while awake, and he told her what he thought. She glanced at him, her eyes as reflecting a far off sea, and she laughed. "You're too noble, Riku," she said in a voice of wind chimes and ocean waves. "Why would you want to be dead with a horrible person like me?"

"You're not horrible," Riku objected. His queen tilted her head. "You've never been horrible. I'm the horrible one— I was the one who told you to be harsher."

"That was for my own good," she argued, and she smiled wanly. "And it was I who chose to love a human boy. That was what killed me, Riku, and you had warned me from the very beginning not to trust him."

"I told you to kill him," Riku whispered. "That was a mistake. You shouldn't have killed him. You shouldn't have had anything to do with him. He wasn't a normal human, and now he's—"

"A monster," said the queen bitterly. "Yes, I know. That's my fault too. I made monsters everywhere I went, and now I make monsters from beyond my grave… but, Riku, please don't die. I couldn't bear it if you were lost as well."

He stared at her, and he felt so confused he could barely breathe. She was close now, her face hovering above his, and she cupped his cheek in her palm. Riku blinked at her, and for a moment he recalled all the times he had imagined her so close to him… fantasies of a young and foolish knight. He moved to pull away, but her lips were against his before he could object.

She was soft, and warm, and it was such a gift in his numb suffering that he couldn't help but lean into her, his hands moving into her flaxen hair, and she smiled against his lips. There was something strange about the way she moved, her lips parting for his, and her fingers roaming his chest and grasping his hair. He wondered if she'd ever done this for the damned human boy, if her breath had ever warmed his withering, icy soul the way her kisses warmed his frozen skin.

His dead queen sat upon his lap, her skirt pooling around his legs, and he felt her slender hips against his own. Her fingers trailed across his jawbone, fire lay where their flesh met. He tried to recall if she'd ever been so bold while alive, but for some reason he could only remember her timid laughs and quiescent voice. Besides, she'd never shown an interest in him like this. This was a fever dream… that was the only explanation, and Riku grew angry with himself. This was his queen, and he was tarnishing her memory by dreaming like this.

Riku tried to pull back then, but the dead girl's kisses only became more desperate, and her tongue tickled the roof of his mouth. She tasted like snow, and sobs, and regrets, and her breath shuddered against his skin. She held him close, her teeth gnashing against the tender skin of his lips, and he struggled with his own desire. This was not her… she was dead, and it was his fault.

He pushed her back, forcing their lips apart with a trembling gasp from them both. She was still too close, her chest heaving against his, and her eyes flickered across his face. There was a flicker of bemusement in the depths of them, and she blinked. She jumped of him, her body falling into a small heap among the damp straw. Her body changed then, and Riku forced himself to sit up. His dead queen stumbled to her feet, her eyes flashing around the cell.

She was different. Her face was rounder, childlike, and her body was younger. Her eyes looked almost the same, only there was no recognition in the sparkling blue, nor a hint of an old sorrow. Rays of sunlight fell from her hair, spilling over her shoulders and onto the stone floor of his cell. She pushed herself as far from him from possible, her back bumping against the iron bars of his cage.

"Who are you?" he croaked, lost for words. She was not a faerie, nor was she his queen. He was loosing faith that this was a dream. It felt so real…

"Where am I?" she sputtered, her fingers against her lips. "How did I…?"

Her body flickered like a flame in the wind, and with a soft sigh she was gone.

Riku jolted from the reverie, his body numb with cold, and ice crawling across his knees. None of the warmth of the dead girl's kisses carried over from dream to wake… and Riku felt himself losing faith. He dropped his head into his hands, hissing at himself. This was stupid. His queen was dead, and he'd grieved long enough. Vow or no, he had to move on, and be sure not to make the same mistake twice.

As if his thoughts had been heard, a sudden burst of noise pushed at the iron bars. Riku's head snapped up, and he blinked as the light of a torch stung his eyes. The sound of keys jangling, and the calling of his name made Riku's heart jump into his throat. Sora. Riku knew before he even saw the boy's face, and a laugh of disbelief slipped from his lips.

"Idiot," Riku gasped as his friend dropped to his side. Behind him was Kairi, her fist tight around the torch. "Your father… you fool, you'll only get in trouble for this!"

"He already wants to force me into _marriage_," Sora snickered. "What worse could he do?"

"Sora." Riku grabbed his friend's arm, and he smiled gratefully. Sora grinned back, and his other arm hooked around him, dragging him to his numb feet. "How did you get out of the Hightower? Is Ventus back?"

He noticed how Kairi's shoulder's hunched at the mention of Ventus's name, but he didn't comment. Sora frowned. "Nah," he said. "Ven's in Arcanum. He's going to try and find Terra's— oh, he's the prince of the Heartlands by the way— girlfriend."

"The prince of…?" He thought of Xion, and his stomach flipped. That stupid girl's brother, the very person he had been protecting her from, was here. Riku had half a mind to hunt down the possessed prince and finish the job. "Never mind. Am I going to get a chance to speak with your father?"

"No!" Sora scowled, dragging him from the cell. Kairi followed, slowing to fit Sora's pace. "Gods, I just saved you, I don't want you to get thrown back into this place!"

"But," Riku said, his mind whirring. "I'm still loyal to you, and your family. Even if I'm a faerie…"

"Not a chance!" Sora frowned, and he looked up at Riku. "You'll get sent away, Riku. They'll lock you up and try and find what makes you tick until they kill you. That's what happens to faeries here, and I can't let that happen to you!"

Riku had never thought King Cloud a cruel man… not until today. "Where will I go?" he asked distantly.

Sora's grip on his shoulders tightened, and in the soft glow of the torch, Riku thought he saw tears in his eyes. _He's still a child,_ Riku recalled solemnly. _I'm old enough to be his great-grandfather… I always forget._

"I don't know— if I were you, I'd go home." Sora smiled up at him sadly. "One day, I'll be king, and you can come back… but that day is not today."

* * *

><p><em>You know, I love this story. I wouldn't be updating it if I didn't, because let's be honest here, reviews kind of fuel my existence on this site. Thank you, everyone who has reviewed. Everyone who hasn't is a loser! <em>

_Anyway, if you actually do give a shit about this story, please review? I'm losing faith in it. I mean, it's not writer's block, it's just... disinterest. I can write it fine if I sit down, I just don't want to because I always feel like I don't have enough feedback to sit my ass down and continue with the plot._

_Happy Halloween, if I don't update again until then (I probably won't, which means I'll have to wait until November, which means maybe I'll update this once in like a month? NaNo. But we'll see). Also, I enjoy make-out scenes. Like you guys have no idea. If you're confused about that part:_

_Riku was dreaming about his queen while Namine was also dreaming about his queen, and so she kind of took on his queen's persona and made out with him. Dream meshing. Yeah._

_I imagine Riku said in response to the last line, "No shit, you dumb fuck." _


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